Re:Show HN: RealDiff – runtime behavior diffing for pull req...
by vlovich123 on Thursday August 27, 2026 @10:39AM
(#49465643)
I’ve read the readme a few times and still have no idea how this is useful. The motivating example of Sort => SortBy has no description of what’s highlighted and no description of how. Is it running the old test suite with the new changes as a weak form of mutation testing? Something else?
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Re:Show HN: RealDiff – runtime behavior diffing for pull req...
by issacnitin on Thursday August 27, 2026 @11:01AM
(#49466007)
Not mutation testing — nothing is mutated. It builds both branches with instrumentation, runs the same test suite on each, and diffs the recorded arguments and return values.
In that example, selectDiscount returns a different discount and the order total goes 85 → 60. Neither function is in the diff; only the sort helper is. The tests still pass — one asserts the total is positive, and 60 is positive.
Re:Show HN: RealDiff – runtime behavior diffing for pull req...
by gardnr on Thursday August 27, 2026 @11:39AM
(#49466619)
Don’t run your responses through an LLM. People prefer to read your genuine words, even if it may include some incorrect English.
Re:Show HN: RealDiff – runtime behavior diffing for pull req...
by issacnitin on Thursday August 27, 2026 @11:40AM
(#49466626)
Sure, appreciate the feedback.
Re:Show HN: RealDiff – runtime behavior diffing for pull req...
by ramon156 on Thursday August 27, 2026 @06:05PM
(#49471910)
please try speaking in your own words. i still have no idea what this is for. is it two compare two impls? is it to "optimize" a function (i assume not since there's no mutation)?
Re:Show HN: RealDiff – runtime behavior diffing for pull req...
by issacnitin on Friday August 28, 2026 @12:05AM
(#49474238)
hi, this is simply put, to compare the behavior diff of two builds. when i say behavior, i mean the return values of functions etc. it'll help with AI-assisted code reviews etc. since AI looks at the text diff only, and misses behavior diff downstream. it complements static analysis and unit tests for a stronger testing strategy.