> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.hex-rays.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.hex-rays.com/ida-9.5/add-ons/teams/how-tos/git-diff.md). # Diffing IDA databases with git diff IDA databases (`.i64`, `.idb`) are binary files, so by default Git can only tell you `Binary files a/db.i64 and b/db.i64 differ`. With the IDA diff driver installed, `git diff` instead prints a readable, structural diff of the two databases, produced by IDA itself: * changed disassembly lines, names, comments, stack variables * changes to functions, local types, cross-references, segments, and more The output is plain text in the familiar unified diff format, so it works in a terminal, in scripts, in CI jobs, and as input for AI agents that need to review what changed in an analysis. {% hint style="info" %} A repository created or cloned through IDA includes an `AGENTS.md`/`CLAUDE.md` file that tells coding agents which exact commands to use for diffing, so they don't have to guess. {% endhint %} ## How it works Git lets a repository assign a custom *diff driver* to a file pattern through `.gitattributes`. IDA ships a small helper, `git-ida`, which registers itself as the diff driver for `*.i64` and `*.idb`. When Git needs to diff a database, it calls `git-ida`, which runs IDA headless (`idat`) on both versions of the database and passes the report back to Git. The same helper also installs a filter that stores databases compactly (as deltas) and a merge driver for databases. Both run transparently. ## Prerequisites * Git installed * IDA Pro installed and an active IDA license with Teams add-on * The `git-ida` version that ships with IDA 9.5 or later | Platform | Location of `git-ida` | | -------- | ---------------------------------------------- | | Windows | `\tools\teams\git-ida.exe` | | Linux | `/tools/teams/git-ida` | | macOS | `/Contents/MacOS/tools/teams/git-ida` | ## Setup from the command line You do not need to open the repository in IDA. The steps below use `$IDA_DIR` for the IDA installation directory (on macOS, the `Contents/MacOS` folder inside the `.app` bundle). First, run `git ida install` once per machine. See [Making `git-ida` available to your shell](/ida-9.5/add-ons/teams/how-tos/git_ida_cli.md#making-git-ida-available-to-your-shell) for details. After that, a plain `git clone` of any `git-ida` repository checks out real databases right away, no further setup needed. ### Enable it in a new repository ```bash cd my-repo git config --local ida.path "$IDA_DIR/ida" # or ida.exe on Windows git ida initialize # add --lfs to store databases in Git LFS git add .gitattributes .gitignore git commit -m "Enable IDA database support" ``` Running `git ida initialize` registers the filter, merge and diff drivers in the repository's local Git config. It also adds these lines to `.gitattributes`: ``` *.i64 filter=git-ida merge=git-ida diff=git-ida -text *.idb filter=git-ida merge=git-ida diff=git-ida -text ``` Point `ida.path` at the regular `ida` executable. The diff driver picks the console version (`idat`) next to it automatically. ### Clone a repository that already uses it ```bash git clone my-repo ``` Run `git ida status` at any time to check the configuration. ## Examples Compare the database on disk (saved but not yet committed) with the last commit: ```bash git diff HEAD -- malware.i64 ``` Compare a database with its state from the previous commit: ```bash git diff HEAD~1 -- malware.i64 ``` Compare two branches: ```bash git diff main feature/rename-crypto -- malware.i64 ``` Show what a commit changed: ```bash git show --ext-diff HEAD git log -p --ext-diff -- malware.i64 ``` {% hint style="info" %} `git show` and `git log -p` only use custom diff drivers when you pass `--ext-diff`. {% endhint %} List only the changed locations, one per line (useful in scripts or as a compact summary for an agent): ```bash git diff HEAD~1 -- malware.i64 | grep '^@@' ``` Skip the structural diff for one command: ```bash git diff --no-ext-diff HEAD~1 -- malware.i64 ``` ### Sample output This commit renamed a stack variable to `output_buffer`: ```diff $ git show --ext-diff 8371f83 commit 8371f83 renamed first parameter to output buffer diff --ida a/git-ida.i64 b/git-ida.i64 index 5fdf1a2..b5b18fc 100644 @@ Disassembly/Items @@ _lzma_lzma_optimum_fast __text:000000010028C978 ; Attributes: bp-based frame __text:000000010028C978 __text:000000010028C978 EXPORT _lzma_lzma_optimum_fast __text:000000010028C978 _lzma_lzma_optimum_fast __text:000000010028C978 -__text:000000010028C978 var_AC = -0xAC +__text:000000010028C978 output_buffer = -0xAC __text:000000010028C978 var_A8 = -0xA8 __text:000000010028C978 var_A4 = -0xA4 @@ Disassembly/Items @@ _lzma_lzma_optimum_fast+688 -__text:000000010028D000 STR W8, [SP,#0xB0+var_AC] +__text:000000010028D000 STR W8, [SP,#0xB0+output_buffer] @@ Disassembly/Items @@ _lzma_lzma_optimum_fast+6A0 __text:000000010028D018 loc_10028D018 -__text:000000010028D018 LDR W8, [SP,#0xB0+var_AC] +__text:000000010028D018 LDR W8, [SP,#0xB0+output_buffer] ``` Each hunk header names the area of the database that changed (here `Disassembly/Items`) and the location, as a name plus offset. ## Notes and limitations * Each diff runs IDA on both versions of the database, so on large databases it can take a while. * `git diff --stat`, `--numstat` and `--shortstat` never call diff drivers, so for databases they only report that the binary file changed. * If anything goes wrong (IDA not found, timeout, and so on), the driver falls back to the standard `Binary files ... differ` line and prints the reason on stderr. The rest of the `git diff` output is not affected. ## Configuration All settings live in the repository's local Git config (`git config --local `): | Key | Default | Meaning | | ---------------------- | ------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | `ida.path` | | Path to the IDA executable | | `ida.diff.enabled` | `true` | Set to `false` to always show `Binary files ... differ` | | `ida.diff.timeout` | `120` | Seconds allowed for one database diff (`0` = no limit) | | `ida.diff.maxFileSize` | `0` | Skip the structural diff for databases larger than this many bytes (`0` = no limit) | {% hint style="info" %} To compare databases visually in the IDA GUI instead of in the terminal, use `git difftool -- malware.i64`. {% endhint %} --- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. 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