patch linux command

patch

patch [options] [original [patchfile]]

Apply the patches specified in patchfile to original. Replace the original with the new, patched version; move the original to original.orig or original~.

Options

+ [options] [original2]

Apply patches again, with different options or a different original file.

-b, --backup

Back up the original file.

-z suffix, --suffix=suffix

Back up the original file in original.suffix.

-B prefix, --prefix=prefix

Prepend prefix to the backup filename.

-c, --context

Interpret patchfile as a context diff.

-d dir, --directory=dir

cd to directory before beginning patch operations.

-D string, --ifdef=string

Mark all changes with:

-e, --ed

Treat the contents of patchfile as ed commands.

-E, --remove-empty-files

If patch creates any empty files, delete them.

-f, --force

Force all changes, even those that look incorrect. Skip patches if the original file does not exist; force patches for files with the wrong version specified; assume patches are never reversed.

-i file, --input=file

Read patch from file instead of stdin.

-t, --batch

Skip patches if the original file does not exist.

-F num, --fuzz=num

Specify the maximum number of lines that may be ignored (fuzzed over) when deciding where to install a hunk of code. The default is 2. Meaningful only with context diffs.

-l, --ignore-whitespace

Ignore whitespace while pattern matching.

-n, --normal

Interpret patch file as a normal diff.

-N, --forward

Ignore patches that appear to be reversed or to have already been applied.

-o file, --output=file

Print output to file.

-p[num], --strip[=num]

Specify how much of preceding pathname to strip. A num of 0 strips everything, leaving just the filename. 1 strips the leading /; each higher number after that strips another directory from the left.

-r file, --reject-file=file

Place rejects (hunks of the patch file that patch fails to place within the original file) in file. Default is original.rej.

-R, --reverse

Do a reverse patch: attempt to undo the damage done by patching with the old and new files reversed.

-s, --silent, --quiet

Suppress commentary.

-u, --unified

Interpret patch file as a unified context diff.

-V method, --version-control=method

Specify method for creating backup files (overridden by -B):

t, numbered

Make numbered backups.

nil, existing

Back up files according to preexisting backup schemes, with simple backups as the default. This is patch's default behavior.

never, simple

Make simple backups.

Environment variables

TMPDIR

Specify the directory for temporary files, /tmp by default.

SIMPLE_BACKUP_SUFFIX

Suffix to append to backup files instead of .orig or ~.

VERSION_CONTROL

Specify what method to use in naming backups (see -V).