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Diff vs If - What's the difference?

diff | if |

As a noun diff

is (slang).

As a verb diff

is (computing) to run a diff program on (files or items) so as to produce a description of the differences between them, as for a patch file.

As a proper noun diff

is (computing) a program, historically part of the unix operating system, which compares two files or sets of files and outputs a description of the differences between them.

As an initialism if is

interactive fiction.

diff

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • (slang)
  • A peach and an apricot? What's the diff ?
  • (computing) Any program which compares two files or sets of files and outputs a description of the differences between them.
  • (computing) The output of a diff program. A diff file.
  • * 2004 , , Great Hackers , Essay:
  • I didn't want to waste people's time telling them things they already knew. It's more efficient just to give them the diffs .
  • (medicine) : differential of types of white blood cell in a complete blood count.
  • (slang)
  • (rock climbing) A difficult route.
  • Verb

    (en verb)
  • (computing) To run a diff program on (files or items) so as to produce a description of the differences between them, as for a patch file.
  • (computing) To compare two files or other objects, manually or otherwise.
  • Proper noun

    (en proper noun)
  • (computing) A program, historically part of the Unix operating system, which compares two files or sets of files and outputs a description of the differences between them.
  • See also

    * (computing ) patch

    if

    English

    (wikipedia if)

    Conjunction

    (English Conjunctions)
  • Supposing that, assuming that, in the circumstances that;
  • If it rains, I will get wet .
  • Supposing that;
  • I'd prefer it if you took your shoes off.
  • Although;
  • He was a great friend, if a little stingy at the bar.
  • (computing) In the event that a statement is true (a programming statement that acts in a similar manner).
  • If A, then B, else C.
  • Whether;
  • I don't know if I want to go or not.
  • * 1715–1717 , , Alma; or, The Progress of the Mind , Canto III:
  • Quoth Matthew, “”
  • (usually hyperbolic) Even if; even in the circumstances that.
  • * 2004', (singers), “'''If It’s The Last Thing I Do” (song), in ''You Do Your Thing (album):
  • If' it’s the last thing I do / '''If''' it takes me from Tubilo to Timbuktu / '''If''' it’s the last thing I do / I’m gonna dodge every road block, speed trap, county cop / To get my hands on you / ' If it’s the last thing I do.

    Usage notes

    * Specifically a subordinating conjunction.

    Derived terms

    * iff * if and only if * if clause * if only * as if * even if * if so be

    Alternative forms

    * ifen * iffen

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (informal) An uncertainty, possibility, condition, doubt etc.
  • * 1709, Susannah Centlivre, The Busy Body'', Act III, in John Bell (ed.), ''British Theater , J. Bell (1791), page 59,
  • Sir Fran.'' Nay, but Chargy, if——— ¶ ''Miran.'' Nay, Gardy, no Ifs'''.——Have I refus'd three northern lords, two British peers, and half a score knights, to have put in your ' Ifs ?
  • * 1791 January, "Richard?on’s Chemical Principles of the Metallic Arts''", in ''The Monthly Review , R. Griffiths, page 176,
  • Well might Bergman add, (in his Sciographia,''), if the compari?on that has been made, &c. be ju?t.” The pre?ent writer makes no ''ifs about the matter, and has ?uperadded a little inaccuracy of his own, […]
  • * {{quote-news, year=2013, date=April 9, author=Andrei Lankov, title=Stay Cool. Call North Korea’s Bluff., work=New York Times citation
  • , passage=Even if they managed to strike Japan, the United States or South Korea with nuclear weapons — a big if , given that they do not have a reliable delivery system — they could not save themselves from ultimate defeat.}}

    Derived terms

    * big if *

    See also

    * and * else * false * or * then * true

    Statistics

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