Compare files and workspace-scoped Git#

Diff Workspace compares text, files, folders, supported GitHub content, or a selected local Git repository.

Compare text or files#

1. Choose the comparison mode.
2. Enter or select both sides.
3. Run the comparison.
4. Review additions, deletions, and unchanged context.

Source control from a workspace#

Eligible local Windows projects can open a focused Source Control page:

1. Open the workspace.
2. Open Developer tools → Source control.
3. If asked, choose Allow Git inspection after reviewing the exact folder. DevDesk runs no Git command before approval.
4. If Git is missing, install Git for Windows and choose Check again.
5. If the folder is not inside a repository, choose Initialize Git repository and confirm the exact location.
6. Stage or unstage a selected path explicitly.
7. Enter a commit message and create a local commit after reviewing the staged files.

Opening project.devdesk never grants trust. Trust is private to the current device and can be revoked.

Professional setup states#

Initialization creates only .git in the displayed workspace root. It does not change or stage existing files, create a commit or remote, connect an account, or use the network. DevDesk refuses to create a nested repository when the workspace is already inside a parent repository.

Use the Source Control workbench#

When the repository is ready, the Windows workbench combines contextual changes with resizable history, branch, and commit-details panels:

• Changes: review staged and working files, open a bounded text difference, switch between inline and side-by-side layout when the window is wide enough, and explicitly stage or unstage one path. A new untracked text file can be previewed and staged, but DevDesk never deletes an untracked file.
• History: filter workspace-scoped commits by message, author, or hash. Select a commit to inspect its changed files and workspace-scoped patch.
• Branches: inspect the current branch, upstream, ahead/behind counts, and configured remotes. Create or switch a branch explicitly after checking for unsaved or conflicting changes. Opening the view alone does not fetch.

The toolbar exposes separate Fetch, Pull, and Push actions. Fetch updates configured remote references and prunes stale remote references. Pull uses fast-forward only and refuses to create an implicit merge commit. Push uses the current branch and can establish its upstream on the first configured remote when none exists. Each action is user-initiated, uses the displayed repository, may contact its configured remote, and relies on the user's normal Git credential setup.

Restore working file safely is available only for a tracked, unstaged working-tree change. DevDesk writes a binary-capable recovery patch to a temporary recovery folder first, then restores the selected file to its staged version. Copy the displayed recovery-patch path somewhere durable if you may need it later.

Repository mutations require the fingerprint from the displayed snapshot. If another Git client, editor, or DevDesk window changes repository state, DevDesk stops the action and asks you to refresh.

Parent repository with a strict workspace scope#

When the user explicitly opens Git status, DevDesk resolves the real repository root with:

git rev-parse --show-toplevel

The result may be the selected workspace or a parent folder. DevDesk separately records the folder containing project.devdesk and shows the repository-relative scope on the Git page. A nested shopdesk/docs workspace therefore uses only the docs pathspec even though Git belongs to shopdesk.

After a normal clone, opening docs/project.devdesk restores the nested workspace identity. The manifest does not contain .git data, remotes, credentials, or trust.

Safety boundaries#

• Status and recent history include only the selected workspace pathspec.
• Displayed file paths are relative to the selected workspace.
• Diff, stage, unstage, and protected discard cannot escape that workspace.
• Unrelated parent-repository changes do not invalidate a scoped fingerprint.
• Absolute and cross-workspace paths are rejected.
• Stage and unstage require explicit actions.
• Local commits are explicit, fingerprint-checked, and use --no-verify so repository hooks are not executed.
• Fetch, fast-forward-only pull, push, branch creation, and branch switching require separate explicit actions in a trusted local Windows workspace.
• DevDesk does not silently contact a remote, change remote URLs, run hooks, or store Git credentials.
• A Git commit records the repository's staged index. When the DevDesk workspace is nested inside a parent repository, first confirm with your normal Git client that unrelated parent-repository files are not already staged. Use the normal Git client instead whenever the staged boundary is uncertain.
• Use your normal Git client for rebase, merge-conflict resolution, remote URL configuration, credential setup, force-push, or any operation not shown by DevDesk.

Android boundary#

Android workspaces are provider-backed document trees, so the Source Control page does not start a Git engine on the phone. It offers a Windows handoff for status, changes, history, branches, commits, and remote operations. Android can still edit workspace files safely and use the general Compare & Diff tool.

For workbench tabs, the contextual Source Control sidebar, and project terminals, see Workspace workbench, tabs, and tools.

GitHub comparison#

Supported GitHub comparison fetches only the public URL or content you select. It is a user-initiated network action.