# delta

> MIT syntax-aware git diff pager

**Category:** Rust  
**Pricing:** open-source  
**URL:** https://dandavison.github.io/delta/  
**GitHub:** https://github.com/dandavison/delta  
**Added:** 2026-09-10

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## The Hook

delta is the git diff you actually want to read — syntax highlighting, side-by-side, and blame-friendly paging.

## What's Good

MIT. dandavison/delta. Drop-in pager for `git diff`/`show`/`log -p` via `core.pager` / `interactive.diffFilter`. Language-aware highlighting, line numbers, side-by-side, merge-conflict styling, and themes. Works with Magit and many Git UIs that honor pager config.

## The Catch

Vs bat (file viewer) and lazygit (TUI Git client): delta is the *diff pager*, not a file cat and not a staging UI. Config lives in gitconfig — wrong pager nesting with less can surprise. Huge binary diffs still want `--stat` or path filters first.

## Verdict

MIT git diff pager. Free forever; set it once in gitconfig and every diff gets readable.