moreorless
Python diff wrapper
Decision gist · record as of 2026-08-14
Yes. The package solves a real edge case (newline-at-eof handling) that the standard library doesn't address cleanly, has zero base dependencies, is actively maintained, carries no known vulnerabilities, and uses a permissive MIT license. Install the base package for diff generation; add the `[cli]` extra only if you need colored terminal output.AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying
Before you install
- Requires Python 3.9 or later.
- Optional `cli` extra (click dependency) needed for colored output functions.
- Low install friction with no runtime dependencies.
License · maintenance · safety
MIT (permissive) — MIT license permits unrestricted use, modification, and distribution in both open-source and proprietary projects.
last release 2026-05-12 (94 days) · last repo commit 2026-05-12 · 6 stars
0 known vulnerabilities (OSV.dev, 2026-08-14) · 3,459,933 downloads/mo, #2,615 on PyPI
Alternatives
Verify before relying
pip install moreorless
import moreorless
diff_output = moreorless.unified_diff('old content', 'new content', 'file.txt')
print(diff_output)- Whether the package is actively used in production or primarily for development tooling
- Performance characteristics when diffing large files or applying complex patches
What it is and what it does
moreorless is a thin wrapper around Python's standard `difflib.unified_diff` that simplifies the API and correctly handles the edge case of files without trailing newlines—a common source of bugs in diff tools. It provides three main entry points: a core `unified_diff()` function that takes two strings and returns a unified diff, a `patch.apply_single_file()` function to apply patches to file contents, and optional colored output helpers via the `cli` extra that use click to display diffs with syntax highlighting.
The package is lightweight with zero runtime dependencies in its base form, making it suitable for embedding in other tools or libraries that need reliable diff generation. It follows semantic versioning and is compatible with Python 3.9 and later. The colored output and patch-application features are available as optional add-ons, so you can install just the core diffing functionality if you don't need click-based terminal output.
Use it for
- Generate clean unified diffs in code review or testing tools that need correct newline-at-eof handling
- Apply patches programmatically to file contents with optional offset tolerance for resilience
- Display side-by-side or colored diffs in CLI tools using the click integration
- Merge diffs from multiple sources using the combined_diff function for complex version control scenarios
Worth the install?
AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page. Verify before relying on it.
Yes.
The package solves a real edge case (newline-at-eof handling) that the standard library doesn't address cleanly, has zero base dependencies, is actively maintained, carries no known vulnerabilities, and uses a permissive MIT license. Install the base package for diff generation; add the `[cli]` extra only if you need colored terminal output.
Install
moreorless on PyPI
Before you install
Low install friction with no runtime dependencies. Actively maintained as of May 2026, with a recent release.
Requires Python 3.9 or later. Optional `cli` extra (click dependency) needed for colored output functions.
License in practice
MIT license permits unrestricted use, modification, and distribution in both open-source and proprietary projects.
Quickstart
pip install moreorless
import moreorless
diff_output = moreorless.unified_diff('old content', 'new content', 'file.txt')
print(diff_output)Verify before relying
- Whether the package is actively used in production or primarily for development tooling
- Performance characteristics when diffing large files or applying complex patches
Package facts
| License | MIT permissive |
| Python support | Supports the current Python release >=3.9 |
| Install friction | Low. Pure-Python wheel |
| Runtime dependencies | None |
| Maintenance | Actively maintained 94 days since the last release |
| Last repo commit | |
| First released | |
| Downloads | 3,459,933 / month, #2,615 on PyPI 30-day window, as of 2026-08-14 |
| Known vulnerabilities | None known OSV.dev, checked 2026-08-14 |
Evidence: moreorless-0.6.0-py3-none-any.whl
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See also patch · ydiff · patch-ng · unidiff · unidiff2 · patchy · diff-match-patch · fast-diff-match-patch · icdiff · whatthepatch