pkg.soopen package index

brew / rank 5156

Install riff with Homebrew, apk, MacPorts, Nix, zypper, scoop

Diff filter highlighting which line parts have changed. Version 3.6.2 via Homebrew; verified 2026-10-11. Also installable with nix: nix profile install nixpkgs#riff.

Install commandSecurity notes

install

Additional install commands

macOS

Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install riff

local Homebrew formula metadata

MacPortsverified · 94%
sudo port install riff

MacPorts ports tree · textproc/riff/Portfile · source: api.github.com

Linux

Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%
sudo apk add riff

Alpine Linux edge package indexes · riff · source: dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org

Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#riff

nixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/ri/riff/package.nix · source: api.github.com

openSUSE zypperverified · 92%
sudo zypper install riff

openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · riff · source: download.opensuse.org

Windows

Scoopverified · 92%
scoop install extras/riff

Scoop official bucket manifest trees · bucket/riff.json · source: api.github.com

overview

Package summary

Diff filter highlighting which line parts have changed

Commands and aliases

  • riff

history

Project history and usage

Riff, short for Refining Diff, is a command-line diff filter that highlights exactly which portions of changed lines differ.

Project history

Riff was developed by Johan Walles as a diff refiner that identifies replaced regions and highlights the changed portions within individual lines. The implementation evolved into a Rust CLI supporting plain diffs, Git patches, merge conflicts, pager selection, hyperlinks, and whitespace highlighting.

Later releases added source-line hyperlinks and changed the default unchanged-text style to yellow. The official release history shows continued iterative releases in the 3.x series.

Adoption history

Riff is distributed through Homebrew, Cargo, Linux package channels, MacPorts, Scoop, and Nix-related packaging. Its README also documents persistent Git integration through pager and interactive-diff-filter settings.

How it is used

Pipe a diff through `riff`, use `riff` as a replacement front end for `diff`, or configure it as Git's diff, show, log, and interactive diff filter. Options may be supplied persistently through the space-separated `RIFF` environment variable.

Why package nerds care

Riff occupies the Unix-filter niche between raw diff producers and full-screen diff viewers. Package users value that it can refine streamed output without changing its line count, preserving compatibility with workflows such as `git add -p`.

Timeline

  • 2017: Public development began around refining Git and traditional diff output.
  • 2020s: Riff was rewritten and distributed as the Rust crate `riffdiff`.
  • 2025–2026: The 3.x release line added terminal hyperlinks and refined default styling.

Related projects

  • Riff wraps or filters output from `diff` and Git. Its pager selection prefers the `PAGER` environment setting, then `moor`, then `less`.

security posture

Risk level: green

narrow executable package without higher-risk signals.

Risk classifier

green risk · low confidence · appliance

Why

  • narrow executable package without higher-risk signals

Signals

  • metadata:no-higher-risk-signals

Install behavior

  • No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
  • Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 7 platform targets.
  • Build metadata lists 1 build dependencies.

Recommended review

Before unattended agent use, check whether the tool reads plaintext credentials, writes remote state, publishes artifacts, or shells out to plugins.

executables

Installed executables

CommandKindExposureNote
riffcliglobal executable

freshness

Version and freshness

These signals separate page generation age, package-manager activity, and upstream release comparison. Version lag is warned only when an evidence URL and comparable versions are present.

page generated2026-11-04
manager version3.6.2
manager updated2026-10-11
local dataok
upstreamcurrent
latest detected3.6.2

https://github.com/walles/riff

  • okNo freshness warnings were generated.

install metadata

Package metadata

Package keybrew:riff
Version3.6.2
Package managerHomebrew
Package manager pagehttps://formulae.brew.sh/formula/riff
Homepagehttps://github.com/walles/riff
Repositoryhttps://github.com/walles/riff
LicenseMIT
Source archivehttps://github.com/walles/riff/archive/refs/tags/3.6.2.tar.gz
Last updated2026-10-11T19:50:20-04:00
Pulseupdated
Build dependenciesrust
Bottleavailable (on arm64_golden_gate, arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, sonoma, x86_64_linux)
Homebrew post-installnot defined
Servicenone declared

registry facts

Source database details

Source DatabaseHomebrew formula API
Taphomebrew/core
Full Nameriff
Version Scheme0
Revision0
Bottle Stable Root URLhttps://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core
Deprecatedno
Disabledno
Keg Onlyno
URL Keys
  • stable

source database matches

Other package-manager records

Matches are pulled from external package-manager indexes and kept separate from local Automic Vault package links.

Nix95%

riff

nix profile install nixpkgs#riff
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Riff
nixpkgs package indexes · api.github.com · nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/ri/riff/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1
apk95%

riff 3.6.1-r1

Diff wrapper that highlights changed portions of lines

https://github.com/walles/riff

sudo apk add riff
  • License: MIT
  • Architecture: x86_64
  • Source Package: riff
  • 1 dependencies
  • 1 provides
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Riff
Alpine Linux edge package indexes · dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org · Alpine Linux edge package indexes: riff from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz
apk95%

riff-doc 3.6.1-r1

Diff wrapper that highlights changed portions of lines (documentation)

https://github.com/walles/riff

sudo apk add riff-doc
  • License: MIT
  • Architecture: x86_64
  • Source Package: riff
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Riff
Alpine Linux edge package indexes · dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org · Alpine Linux edge package indexes: riff-doc from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz
zypper95%

riff 3.6.2-1.1

A diff filter highlighting which line parts have changed

https://github.com/walles/riff

sudo zypper install riff
  • License: MIT
  • Category: Unspecified
  • Architecture: x86_64
  • Source Package: riff
  • 4 dependencies
  • 2 provides
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Riff
openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · download.opensuse.org · openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: riff from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/d310d5a96106e1e8872a385adf98aaa23be9db5d80937a6717314e7e7f37715065c6c748ab7ccee6475d620b46979c0fe64235fc0c46988e17edf659578fcf31-primary.xml.zst
MacPorts95%

riff

sudo port install riff
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Riff
MacPorts ports tree · api.github.com · MacPorts ports tree: textproc/riff/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1
Scoop95%

extras/riff

scoop install extras/riff
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Riff
Scoop official bucket manifest trees · api.github.com · Scoop official bucket manifest trees: bucket/riff.json from https://api.github.com/repos/ScoopInstaller/Extras/git/trees/master?recursive=1

package graph

Links come from deterministic package relationships, av.db category and tag curation, ecosystem matches, and package hub membership.

Related tools

  • rustBuild dependency declared by Homebrew.

Same workflow

  • diffrShares pkgdb curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, diff, syntax-highlighting.
  • difftasticShares pkgdb curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, diff.
  • diffutilsShares pkgdb curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, diff.
  • diff-so-fancyShares pkgdb curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, diff.
  • colordiffShares pkgdb curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, diff.
  • diffoscopeShares pkgdb curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, diff.

source trail

Generated from repository data

This page is generated by av-web from the private package SQLite artifact built by scripts/generate-pkg-sqlite.py.

Used sources

  • Geiger risk classifier
  • cross-ecosystem install command graph
  • curated package history
  • external package-manager database matches
  • package relationship graph
  • package version freshness
  • package-page enrichment
  • pkg.so package database
  • pkgdb category and tag curation