[PATCH 0/2] Getting data on different diff algorithms WAS: Documentation/diff-options: explain different diff algorithms

[Stefan Beller <sbeller@google.com>]

I instrumented range-diff to use different diff algorithms for the patches,
(I chose default-myers and patience) and then run on the same range,
via ./git-range-diff v2.10.0..HEAD v2.10.0..HEAD
and I found 5245 same, 304 slightly different and 4 completely different
patches in that range.

Looking at the interdiff is not very pleasing even when reading it with
coloring and move detection.

Manually looking at them, I found the patience diff easier to review.

Comparing the 'default' diff algorithm to 'minimal', I'll see 
 5491 same, 58 slightly different and 0 completely different patches.
 
Comparing 'default' to 'histogram', I'll see
 5255 same, 294 slightly different and 8 completely different patches.
 
Comparing 'histogram' to 'patience', I'll see 
 5337 same, 212 slightly different and 10 completely different patches.

This is all to just put data out there, on how much difference to expect from
the diff algorithms. I have not yet dug into the quality of the diffs.

Stefan


Stefan Beller (2):
  WIP: range-diff: take extra arguments for different diffs.
  WIP range-diff: print some statistics about the range

 range-diff.c | 29 +++++++++++++++++++++++++----
 1 file changed, 25 insertions(+), 4 deletions(-)

-- 
2.18.0.597.ga71716f1ad-goog