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diff: add a true in-place "inline" overlay (virtual text) as the future layout = "inline" #294
Description
Summary
Follow-up to #293 / #195. The diff_opts.layout = "unified" option (renamed from "inline" before v0.4.0) renders a unified diff in a separate vsplit pane — a single read-only buffer with interleaved red/green lines. This issue tracks adding a true in-place inline overlay: the diff shown as virtual text layered onto the file in the same window, the way users typically picture a "VS Code-style inline" diff (cf. mini.diff, gitsigns preview, sidekick NES, Cursor inline edits).
When implemented, this mode is the one that should claim layout = "inline" — which is exactly why we reserved that name in #293.
"unified" vs the proposed "inline"
"unified"(shipped): single read-only buffer in arightbelow vsplit, deleted (red/strikethrough) + added (green) lines interleaved. Compact, but it's a separate pane and not editable before accept."inline"(this issue): no extra window — proposed changes rendered in place over the real file.
Suggested approach (keeps pre-accept editability)
The unified/read-only path forfeits editing the proposal before accepting. A prototype pattern that keeps it (the codecompanion/sidekick model):
- Proposed/added lines = real, editable buffer lines, highlighted (e.g.
ClaudeCodeInlineDiffAdd) with a+sign. - Deleted lines = virtual text via
nvim_buf_set_extmarkvirt_lines(strikethrough/red), so they're visible but not part of the editable content. - On accept, the buffer content already is the new file (deleted lines were never real text), so edits made during review are captured. On reject, clear the extmarks / restore.
A pure-Lua, zero-dependency engine (not mini.diff/diffview — see #169) keeps this aligned with the project's philosophy. Bonus: a single-buffer extmark view sets no &diff windows, which sidesteps the closeAllDiffTabs foreign-diff class (#277) and the stale-diff repaint issues (#205).
Notes
- The current
"unified"path doesn't fire theClaudeCodeDiffOpened/ClaudeCodeDiffClosedUserautocmds that the native diff does — worth wiring up for any new mode. - @wookayin expressed interest ("once we implement that") on feat(diff): add layout = "inline" for VS Code-style unified diff #195 — collaboration welcome.
🤖 Generated with Claude Code
Activity
refactor(diff): rename diff_opts.layout "inline" to "unified" (coder#295
ThomasK33 commentedon Jun 25, 2026
Note
This triage report is AI-generated using Mux
Triage report
Classification: feature request.
This is a valid follow-up to the current
layout = "unified"work rather than a bug in the shipped unified layout. The requested behavior is a new in-place review mode: proposed content is shown in the original file window without opening an extra diff pane, while deleted old content is rendered as virtual lines/extmarks.What I verified
diff_opts.layout = "vertical","horizontal", or"unified";"inline"is intentionally rejected right now."unified"path dispatches tolua/claudecode/diff_inline.lua, creates a scratch buffer, opens it withrightbelow vsplit, renders additions/deletions in that buffer, and sets it non-modifiable. That matches the issue's description of the current behavior and confirms that a true in-place overlay mode does not exist yet.virt_linesextmarks.Recommendation
Keep this open and implement it as a new
layout = "inline"feature, while preservinglayout = "unified"for the existing single-buffer split view. A good implementation slice would include:diff_opts.layout = "inline"with wording that clearly distinguishes it from"unified".&diffor calldiffthis, so it should avoid the class of issues where Claude diffs interact with diffview/vimdiff tabs.Suggested acceptance criteria
layout = "inline"opens no extra diff window for existing-file edits.ClaudeCodeDiffOpened/ClaudeCodeDiffClosedfire for the inline layout with useful window/buffer metadata.vertical,horizontal, andunifiedlayouts keep their current behavior.Adjacent finding
While checking the lifecycle-event requirement, I found that the current
layout = "unified"path appears to skip the documentedClaudeCodeDiffOpened/ClaudeCodeDiffClosedevents. I created #296 as a separate, narrower bug so this feature request can stay focused on the in-place overlay.Validation performed
lua/claudecode/config.lua,lua/claudecode/types.lua,lua/claudecode/diff.lua,lua/claudecode/diff_inline.lua,README.md, and the diff-related unit specs.layout = "inline"naming before v0.4.0 (reserve "inline" for a true in-place overlay) #293, [BUG] closeAllDiffTabs closes all diff-mode windows, destroying unrelated diffs (diffview.nvim) #277, and [BUG] Diff panels not cleared when new suggestion is shown — stale diffs accumulate until window focus change #205.mise exec -- busted -v tests/unit/diff_inline_spec.lua tests/unit/diff_auto_resize_events_spec.lua— 39 successes, 0 failures.mise run check— 0 warnings, 0 errors.