# NAME

vdf - version diff for Nix

# SYNOPSIS

vdf \<path> \<path>

# DESCRIPTION

vdf compares the dependencies of two Nix store paths. If you pass output paths
(such as a `result` symlink or `/run/current-system`) runtime dependencies will
be compared, whereas if you pass derivation paths build-time dependencies will
be compared.

vdf parses Nix store paths by assuming that the version starts with a digit
(nixpkgs also requires that). For output paths with a version the part after the
last dash is recognized as the output name if it does not start with a digit.

In the *Version changed* section direct dependencies are grouped first.
If the root path has dependencies named `system-path` and `etc` then
direct dependencies are considered dependencies of the `system-path` path
and direct dependencies of `user-environment` paths that `etc` depends on
so that packages listed in `environment.systemPackages` and `users.users.<name>.packages`
are grouped first.

Output-specific version changes are collapsed to one line if they have the same
version change and would be printed next to each other.