---
name: "podman-image-diff"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "podman"
version: "6.1.4-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/podman-image-diff"
---

# podman-image-diff(1)

Inspect changes on an image's filesystem

## NAME

podman-image-diff - Inspect changes on an image's filesystem

## SYNOPSIS

**podman image diff** \[*options*\] *image* \[*image*\]

## DESCRIPTION

Displays changes on an image's filesystem.  The image is compared to its parent layer or the second argument when given.

The output is prefixed with the following symbols:

| | |
| --- | --- |
| **Symbol** | **Description** |
| A | A file or directory was added. |
| D | A file or directory was deleted. |
| C | A file or directory was changed. |

## OPTIONS

### --format

Alter the output into a different format.  The only valid format for **podman image diff** is **json**.

## EXAMPLES

Display image differences from images parent layer:

```
$ podman image diff redis:old
C /usr
C /usr/local
C /usr/local/bin
A /usr/local/bin/docker-entrypoint.sh
```

Display image differences between two different images in JSON format:

```
$ podman image diff --format json redis:old redis:alpine
{
  "changed": [
    "/usr",
    "/usr/local",
    "/usr/local/bin"
  ],
  "added": [
    "/usr/local/bin/docker-entrypoint.sh"
  ]
}
```

## SEE ALSO

**[podman(1)](/podman/1.md)**, **[podman-image(1)](/podman-image/1.md)**

## HISTORY

August 2017, Originally compiled by Ryan Cole rycole@redhat.com ⟨mailto:rycole@redhat.com⟩