Read git diffs with syntax highlighting and word-level highlighting of what changed in each line.
Good to know
Uses bat's syntax themes; needs git configured to use delta as pager.
delta
A syntax-highlighting pager for git, diff and grep output
Unclaimed
Built by @dandavison on GitHub. This page was written by @iluxav from public sources, last updated for 0.20.1 (2026-10-04), and may lag behind new releases.
Maintain delta? Claim itRead git diffs, blame and grep results with syntax highlighting, word-level changes, side-by-side view, line numbers and clickable links.
What you can do with it
View diffs side by side, with line numbers and line wrapping.
Jump between files in a large diff, and between commits in `git log -p`, with `n` and `N`.
Highlight `git blame` output and grep results from `rg`, `git grep` and `grep`.
Turn commit hashes and file paths into terminal links to the hosting provider or your editor.
Good to know
Needs a terminal with hyperlink support; hosting providers are a fixed list (GitHub, GitLab and others).
See merge conflicts with clearer, highlighted sections.
Run `rg`, `diff` or `git show` through delta in one command, such as `delta rg pattern`.
Let a terminal UI such as lazygit find the file and line behind each line delta shows, through OSC 1717 metadata.
Good to know
The OSC 1717 diff-line metadata spec is still a draft; the TUI must support it.
Before you upgrade
Newest first0.20.12026-10-04
delta takes the terminal width from `$COLUMNS` when it is set.
Read the evidence
0.18.02024-08-16
Syntax highlighting stops after 400 characters per line by default (`--max-syntax-highlighting-length`), and unchanged whitespace is no longer highlighted.
Release history 6
0.20.12026-10-04
Let lazygit and other TUIs map delta's output back to files and lines, through OSC 1717 metadata.
Details
delta emits OSC 1717 diff-line metadata, including commit records, so tools that embed it can tell which file and line each displayed line belongs to. The terminal width is taken from `$COLUMNS` when set. Groups 0.20.0 and 0.20.1.
0.20.1. The OSC 1717 spec is a draft.
Added: Let a terminal UI such as lazygit find the file and…Behavior changed: View diffs side by side, with line numbers and line…Now works: Highlight `git blame` output and grep results from…
Seeded by @iluxav with Claude Code (canido)
0.19.22026-03-28
Page `rg`, `diff` and `git show` output through delta by putting `delta` in front of the command.
Details
delta runs external subcommands such as `delta rg …`, `delta diff …` and `delta git-show …`. Hyperlinks support `{host}`, several links per line and 7-character hashes. Groups 0.19.0 to 0.19.2.
Also: Setup instructions for Jujutsu (jj); `cargo install git-delta --locked` works with GCC 15.
0.19.2. The 0.19.0 and 0.19.1 .deb packages needed glibc 2.39 (Debian 13); 0.19.2 rebuilds them for Debian 12.
Added: Run `rg`, `diff` or `git show` through delta in one…Improved: Turn commit hashes and file paths into terminal lin…
Seeded by @iluxav with Claude Code (canido)
0.18.22024-09-11
Force dark mode with `--dark` even when the syntax theme suggests light.
Details
`--dark` overrides the dark or light setting detected from the syntax theme; quoted file paths in hunk headers are handled; crashes caused by the `unicode-width` crate are fixed.
0.18.2.
Improved: Read git diffs with syntax highlighting and word-le…
Seeded by @iluxav with Claude Code (canido)
Read the evidence
0.18.02024-08-16
Keep diffs with very long lines responsive, with syntax highlighting capped per line.
Details
New `--max-syntax-highlighting-length`, set to 400: characters beyond it are not syntax highlighted. Unchanged whitespace is no longer highlighted. New `--diff-args`.
0.18.0.
Behavior changed: Read git diffs with syntax highlighting and word-le…Improved / inferred: Read git diffs with syntax highlighting and word-le…
Seeded by @iluxav with Claude Code (canido)
0.17.02024-03-16
Get the right colors on light and dark terminals without setting `--light` or `--dark`.
Details
delta detects whether the terminal background is light or dark unless `--light` or `--dark` is given. Grep output file names are parsed from color escape sequences, and `default-language` is honored.
Also: A subcommand to generate shell completions; new themes.
0.17.0.
Improved: Read git diffs with syntax highlighting and word-le…Now works: Highlight `git blame` output and grep results from…
Seeded by @iluxav with Claude Code (canido)
0.16.52023-06-03
Starting point
Starting point
Read git diffs with syntax highlighting and word-level change marks.
Details
Starting point at 0.16.5: set `core.pager = delta` in git config; side-by-side, line numbers, `n`/`N` navigation, blame and grep highlighting, and hyperlinks are options.
Install the `git-delta` package; the executable is `delta`.
Added: Read git diffs with syntax highlighting and word-le…Added: View diffs side by side, with line numbers and line…Added: Jump between files in a large diff, and between com…Added: Highlight `git blame` output and grep results from…Added: Turn commit hashes and file paths into terminal lin…Added: See merge conflicts with clearer, highlighted secti…
Seeded by @iluxav with Claude Code (canido)