JDiff Documentation
JDiff is a Javadoc doclet which generates a report of the API
differences between two versions of a product. It does not report changes in
Javadoc comments, or changes in what a class or method does. This help page
describes the different parts of the output from JDiff.
See the reference page in the source
for JDiff for information about how to generate a report like this
one.
The indexes shown in the top-left frame help show each type of
change in more detail. The index "All Differences" contains all the
differences between the APIs, in alphabetical order. These indexes all use the
same format:
- Removed packages, classes, constructors, methods and fields are
struck through.
- Added packages, classes, constructors, methods and fields appear in
bold.
- Changed packages, classes, constructors, methods and fields appear in
normal text.
You can always tell when you are reading a JDiff page, rather than
a Javadoc page, by the color of the index bar and the color of the background.
Links which take you to a Javadoc page are always in a typewriter
font. Just like Javadoc, all interface names are in italic, and class
names are not italicized. Where there are multiple entries in an index with the
same name, the heading for them is also in italics, but is not a
link.
Javadoc
This is a link to the top-level Javadoc page for the new version of the
product.
Overview
The overview is the top-level summary of
what was removed, added and changed between versions.
Package
This is a link to the package containing the current changed class or
interface.
Class
This is highlighted when you are looking at the changed class or
interface.
Text Changes
This is a link to the top-level index of all documentation changes for the
current package or class. If it is not present, then there are no documentation
changes for the current package or class. This link can be removed entirely by
not using the -docchanges
option.
Statistics
This is a link to a page which shows statistics about the changes between the
two APIs. This link can be removed entirely by not using the
-stats
option.
Help
A link to this Help page for JDiff.
Prev/Next
These links take you to the previous and next changed package or
class.
Frames/No Frames
These links show and hide the HTML frames. All pages are available with or
without frames.
Complex Changes
There are some complex changes which can occur between versions, for example,
when two or more methods with the same name change simultaneously, or when a
method or field is moved into or from a superclass. In these cases, the change
will be seen as a removal and an addition, rather than as a change. Unexpected
removals or additions are often part of one of these type of
changes.