Best use
Share one scoped Diff artifact: Small patch reviews.
Diff pastebin for patches and focused reviews
Patches and change review. Pastebin.ai preserves the submitted source, adds a line-numbered reading view, and lets you choose retention and access before sharing.
Diff sharing decisions at a glance
Check the source, runtime context, and privacy risks that matter when you share Diff text.
Context to include
Name the source: Common inputs include .diff, .patch, and unified version-control output. State the tool or runtime that reads them.
Details to remove
Review before upload: Inspect each Diff value, comment, path, and identifier; the checklist below names the format-specific risks.
What to include in a reviewable Diff paste
Common inputs include .diff, .patch, and unified version-control output. Limit the artifact to the lines and context a recipient needs to understand its purpose.
Small patch reviews
Keep the Diff example limited to this review goal and its required inputs.
Configuration changes
For Diff review, Name the producing tool or runtime, preserve exact source text, and include only the context another person needs to understand the artifact.
Before-and-after troubleshooting
Use representative placeholders so this Diff example preserves structure without exposing live values.
A small Diff paste example
The Diff sample below uses a small, representative form of .diff, .patch, and unified version-control output. Replace live values with clear placeholders while keeping the structure another reader needs.
--- a/settings.example
+++ b/settings.example
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
-TIMEOUT=10
+TIMEOUT=20Add the context a reviewer needs
Generate a unified diff with enough context lines to identify the affected code, state the base version or commit, and explain the intended behavior. A paste is useful for a focused excerpt, while the repository remains authoritative.
- Name the tool or runtime that consumes this Diff text.
- Show the command and the expected versus actual Diff result.
- Keep only the smallest Diff artifact that preserves the issue.
Review the paste before it leaves
Review deleted lines as carefully as additions: Patches can contain credentials, proprietary source, private paths, authorship details, and configuration values from the old version.
- Start a Diff review with unlisted visibility.
- Match expiry to the window for small patch reviews.
- Encrypt this Diff paste when readable server storage is outside the trust boundary.
Next Diff step: Online text diff adds this context: Compare two blocks locally before sharing the resulting patch.
Diff paste questions
Short answers about Diff formatting, runtime context, and safer sharing.
How many context lines should a diff include?+
Include enough unchanged lines to locate and understand the change without exposing unrelated code.
Is a paste a replacement for a pull request?+
No. Use it for a quick excerpt; durable review, discussion, status, and merge history belong in version control.