Git diff: Show Diff vs Show Diff in a New Tab

Question

In the Git changes view, the context menu offers both Show Diff and Show Diff in a New Tab for the same selected file. Both actions appear to open a diff — what is the difference between them?

Answer

Both actions open a diff for the selected file, but they differ in how they handle editor tabs:

• Show Diff — opens the diff in a single preview tab. Selecting another file in the changes view replaces the current preview with the new diff, so only one diff is open at a time.
• Show Diff in a New Tab — opens the diff in a new editor tab without affecting any existing tabs. Multiple file diffs can remain open simultaneously as separate editor tabs.

Use Show Diff when reviewing files one at a time. Use Show Diff in a New Tab to keep several diffs open for side-by-side comparison.