Thread ignoreExternalDiff through the remaining diff-cmd builders

Prep for extending the focused main view's raw-diff fallback beyond the files
panel. ShowCmdObj, ShowFileDiffCmdObj, ShowStashEntryCmdObj and DiffCmdObj gain
the ignoreExternalDiff arg WorktreeFileDiffCmdObj already has — forcing git's own
coloured diff regardless of a configured external diff command. All callers pass
false, so behaviour is unchanged.

Also lift the pty-vs-command task choice out of the files controller into
types.NewMainViewDiffTask(WithPrefix), so the commit/stash/patch-building panels
(whose diffs are built in the diff helper, which can't reach the staging helper)
can select the same raw-fallback task.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>

pkg/commands/git_commands/commit.go

@@ -240,10 +240,10 @@ func (self *CommitCommands) AmendHeadCmdObj() *oscommands.CmdObj {
 	return self.cmd.New(cmdArgs)
 }
 
-func (self *CommitCommands) ShowCmdObj(hash string, filterPaths []string) *oscommands.CmdObj {
+func (self *CommitCommands) ShowCmdObj(hash string, filterPaths []string, ignoreExternalDiff bool) *oscommands.CmdObj {
 	cmdArgs := NewGitCmd("show").
 		Config("diff.noprefix=false").
-		AddCommonDiffArgs(self.diffRendererConfigManager, self.UserConfig(), true).
+		AddCommonDiffArgs(self.diffRendererConfigManager, self.UserConfig(), !ignoreExternalDiff).
 		Arg("--submodule").
 		Arg("--color=" + self.diffRendererConfigManager.GetColorArg()).
 		Arg("--stat").

pkg/commands/git_commands/commit_test.go

@@ -341,7 +341,7 @@ func TestCommitShowCmdObj(t *testing.T) {
 			}
 			instance := buildCommitCommands(commonDeps{userConfig: userConfig, appState: &config.AppState{}, runner: runner, repoPaths: &repoPaths})
 
-			assert.NoError(t, instance.ShowCmdObj("1234567890", s.filterPaths).Run())
+			assert.NoError(t, instance.ShowCmdObj("1234567890", s.filterPaths, false).Run())
 			runner.CheckForMissingCalls()
 		})
 	}

pkg/commands/git_commands/diff.go

@@ -83,12 +83,14 @@ func (self *DiffCommands) probeEmitsMetadata(cmdObj *oscommands.CmdObj) bool {
 }
 
 // This is for generating diffs to be shown in the UI (e.g. rendering a range
-// diff to the main view). It uses a custom diff renderer if one is configured.
-func (self *DiffCommands) DiffCmdObj(diffArgs []string) *oscommands.CmdObj {
+// diff to the main view). It uses a custom diff renderer if one is configured, unless
+// ignoreExternalDiff is set (the focused main view's raw-diff fallback; keeps the
+// colour, unlike a plain diff).
+func (self *DiffCommands) DiffCmdObj(diffArgs []string, ignoreExternalDiff bool) *oscommands.CmdObj {
 	return self.cmd.New(
 		NewGitCmd("diff").
 			Config("diff.noprefix=false").
-			AddCommonDiffArgs(self.diffRendererConfigManager, self.UserConfig(), true).
+			AddCommonDiffArgs(self.diffRendererConfigManager, self.UserConfig(), !ignoreExternalDiff).
 			Arg("--submodule").
 			Arg(fmt.Sprintf("--color=%s", self.diffRendererConfigManager.GetColorArg())).
 			Arg(diffArgs...).

pkg/commands/git_commands/stash.go

@@ -80,10 +80,10 @@ func (self *StashCommands) Hash(index int) (string, error) {
 	return strings.Trim(hash, "\r\n"), err
 }
 
-func (self *StashCommands) ShowStashEntryCmdObj(index int) *oscommands.CmdObj {
+func (self *StashCommands) ShowStashEntryCmdObj(index int, ignoreExternalDiff bool) *oscommands.CmdObj {
 	// "-u" is the same as "--include-untracked", but the latter fails in older git versions for some reason
 	cmdArgs := NewGitCmd("stash").Arg("show").
-		AddCommonDiffArgs(self.diffRendererConfigManager, self.UserConfig(), true).
+		AddCommonDiffArgs(self.diffRendererConfigManager, self.UserConfig(), !ignoreExternalDiff).
 		Arg("-p").
 		Arg("--stat").
 		Arg("-u").

pkg/commands/git_commands/stash_test.go

@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ func TestStashStashEntryCmdObj(t *testing.T) {
 			}
 			instance := buildStashCommands(commonDeps{userConfig: userConfig, appState: &config.AppState{}, repoPaths: &repoPaths})
 
-			cmdStr := instance.ShowStashEntryCmdObj(s.index).Args()
+			cmdStr := instance.ShowStashEntryCmdObj(s.index, false).Args()
 			assert.Equal(t, s.expected, cmdStr)
 		})
 	}

pkg/commands/git_commands/working_tree.go

@@ -434,10 +434,10 @@ func (self *WorkingTreeCommands) ShowFileDiff(from string, to string, reverse bo
 	if previousPath != "" {
 		fileNames = append(fileNames, previousPath)
 	}
-	return self.ShowFileDiffCmdObj(from, to, reverse, fileNames, plain).RunWithOutput()
+	return self.ShowFileDiffCmdObj(from, to, reverse, fileNames, plain, false).RunWithOutput()
 }
 
-func (self *WorkingTreeCommands) ShowFileDiffCmdObj(from string, to string, reverse bool, fileNames []string, plain bool) *oscommands.CmdObj {
+func (self *WorkingTreeCommands) ShowFileDiffCmdObj(from string, to string, reverse bool, fileNames []string, plain bool, ignoreExternalDiff bool) *oscommands.CmdObj {
 	colorArg := self.diffRendererConfigManager.GetColorArg()
 	if plain {
 		colorArg = "never"
@@ -445,7 +445,7 @@ func (self *WorkingTreeCommands) ShowFileDiffCmdObj(from string, to string, reve
 
 	cmdArgs := NewGitCmd("diff").
 		Config("diff.noprefix=false").
-		AddCommonDiffArgs(self.diffRendererConfigManager, self.UserConfig(), !plain).
+		AddCommonDiffArgs(self.diffRendererConfigManager, self.UserConfig(), !plain && !ignoreExternalDiff).
 		Arg("--submodule").
 		Arg(fmt.Sprintf("--color=%s", colorArg)).
 		Arg(from).

pkg/gui/controllers/commits_files_controller.go

@@ -176,7 +176,7 @@ func (self *CommitFilesController) GetOnRenderToMain() func() {
 		from, reverse := self.c.Modes().Diffing.GetFromAndReverseArgsForDiff(from)
 
 		paths := self.pathsForDiff(node)
-		cmdObj := self.c.Git().WorkingTree.ShowFileDiffCmdObj(from, to, reverse, paths, false)
+		cmdObj := self.c.Git().WorkingTree.ShowFileDiffCmdObj(from, to, reverse, paths, false, false)
 		task := types.NewRunPtyTask(cmdObj.GetCmd())
 
 		// Keep the inclusion gutter in step with the content as this diff (re-)renders.
@@ -201,7 +201,7 @@ func (self *CommitFilesController) copyDiffToClipboard(paths []string, toastMess
 	from, to := self.context().GetFromAndToForDiff()
 	from, reverse := self.c.Modes().Diffing.GetFromAndReverseArgsForDiff(from)
 
-	cmdObj := self.c.Git().WorkingTree.ShowFileDiffCmdObj(from, to, reverse, paths, true)
+	cmdObj := self.c.Git().WorkingTree.ShowFileDiffCmdObj(from, to, reverse, paths, true, false)
 	diff, err := cmdObj.RunWithOutput()
 	if err != nil {
 		return err

pkg/gui/controllers/files_controller.go

@@ -353,7 +353,7 @@ func (self *FilesController) renderNonTextualConflict(node *filetree.FileNode) {
 	message := self.conflictResolutionHint(node.File.GetMergeStateDescription(self.c.Tr))
 
 	if node.File.ShortStatus == "DU" || node.File.ShortStatus == "UD" {
-		cmdObj := self.c.Git().Diff.DiffCmdObj([]string{"--base", "--", node.GetPath()})
+		cmdObj := self.c.Git().Diff.DiffCmdObj([]string{"--base", "--", node.GetPath()}, false)
 		prefix := message + "\n\n"
 		if node.File.ShortStatus == "DU" {
 			prefix += self.c.Tr.MergeConflictIncomingDiff
@@ -387,7 +387,7 @@ func (self *FilesController) renderWorkingTreeDiff(node *filetree.FileNode) {
 	refreshOpts := types.RefreshMainOpts{
 		Pair: self.c.MainViewPairs().Normal,
 		Main: &types.ViewUpdateOpts{
-			Task:     diffMainViewTask(renderRaw, cmdObj.GetCmd()),
+			Task:     types.NewMainViewDiffTask(renderRaw, cmdObj.GetCmd()),
 			SubTitle: self.c.Helpers().Diff.IgnoringWhitespaceSubTitle(),
 			Title:    title,
 		},
@@ -404,7 +404,7 @@ func (self *FilesController) renderWorkingTreeDiff(node *filetree.FileNode) {
 		refreshOpts.Secondary = &types.ViewUpdateOpts{
 			Title:    title,
 			SubTitle: self.c.Helpers().Diff.IgnoringWhitespaceSubTitle(),
-			Task:     diffMainViewTask(renderRaw, cmdObj.GetCmd()),
+			Task:     types.NewMainViewDiffTask(renderRaw, cmdObj.GetCmd()),
 		}
 	}
 

pkg/gui/controllers/helpers/diff_helper.go

@@ -72,12 +72,12 @@ func (self *DiffHelper) GetUpdateTaskForRenderingCommitsDiff(commit *models.Comm
 				args = append(args, filterPath)
 			}
 		}
-		cmdObj := self.c.Git().Diff.DiffCmdObj(args)
+		cmdObj := self.c.Git().Diff.DiffCmdObj(args, false)
 		prefix := style.FgYellow.Sprintf("%s %s-%s\n\n", self.c.Tr.ShowingDiffForRange, from.ShortRefName(), to.ShortRefName())
 		return types.NewRunPtyTaskWithPrefix(cmdObj.GetCmd(), prefix)
 	}
 
-	cmdObj := self.c.Git().Commit.ShowCmdObj(commit.Hash(), self.FilterPathsForCommit(commit))
+	cmdObj := self.c.Git().Commit.ShowCmdObj(commit.Hash(), self.FilterPathsForCommit(commit), false)
 	return types.NewRunPtyTask(cmdObj.GetCmd())
 }
 
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ func (self *DiffHelper) ExitDiffMode() error {
 
 func (self *DiffHelper) RenderDiff() {
 	args := self.DiffArgs()
-	cmdObj := self.c.Git().Diff.DiffCmdObj(args)
+	cmdObj := self.c.Git().Diff.DiffCmdObj(args, false)
 	prefix := style.FgMagenta.Sprintf(
 		"%s %s\n\n",
 		self.c.Tr.ShowingGitDiff,

pkg/gui/controllers/main_view_controller.go

@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ import (
 	"encoding/hex"
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
-	"os/exec"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"strings"
 
@@ -310,20 +309,6 @@ func placeOrHideInitialDiffSelection(c *ControllerCommon, mainContext *context.M
 	showSelectionAtLine(view, target, true)
 }
 
-// diffMainViewTask builds the task a side panel uses to render its diff into the main
-// view, choosing between the normal pty task and the raw-diff fallback. When renderRaw
-// is set (the focused main view needs to act on a diff the configured pager can't
-// resolve, see StagingHelper.DiffMainViewShouldRenderRaw) it uses a plain command task,
-// which — unlike the pty task — doesn't pipe the diff through a stdin pager (GIT_PAGER);
-// the external diff command, if any, is suppressed in the cmd itself. The caller passes
-// the same renderRaw to the diff-cmd builder so the two stay in step.
-func diffMainViewTask(renderRaw bool, cmd *exec.Cmd) types.UpdateTask {
-	if renderRaw {
-		return types.NewRunCommandTask(cmd)
-	}
-	return types.NewRunPtyTask(cmd)
-}
-
 // updateFocusedMainViewSelectionVisibility shows or hides the focused-main-view selection
 // to match what a side panel is rendering into the main view, called from the panel's
 // render-to-main so the selection tracks content changes (a refresh after the last change

pkg/gui/controllers/reflog_commits_controller.go

@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ func (self *ReflogCommitsController) GetOnRenderToMain() func() {
 			if commit == nil {
 				task = types.NewRenderStringTask("No reflog history")
 			} else {
-				cmdObj := self.c.Git().Commit.ShowCmdObj(commit.Hash(), self.c.Helpers().Diff.FilterPathsForCommit(commit))
+				cmdObj := self.c.Git().Commit.ShowCmdObj(commit.Hash(), self.c.Helpers().Diff.FilterPathsForCommit(commit), false)
 
 				task = types.NewRunPtyTask(cmdObj.GetCmd())
 			}

pkg/gui/controllers/stash_controller.go

@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ func (self *StashController) GetOnRenderToMain() func() {
 			} else {
 				prefix := style.FgYellow.Sprintf("%s\n\n", stashEntry.Description())
 				task = types.NewRunPtyTaskWithPrefix(
-					self.c.Git().Stash.ShowStashEntryCmdObj(stashEntry.Index).GetCmd(),
+					self.c.Git().Stash.ShowStashEntryCmdObj(stashEntry.Index, false).GetCmd(),
 					prefix,
 				)
 			}

pkg/gui/types/rendering.go

@@ -98,3 +98,26 @@ func NewRunPtyTask(cmd *exec.Cmd) *RunPtyTask {
 func NewRunPtyTaskWithPrefix(cmd *exec.Cmd, prefix string) *RunPtyTask {
 	return &RunPtyTask{Cmd: cmd, Prefix: prefix}
 }
+
+// NewMainViewDiffTask builds the task for rendering a diff into the main view,
+// choosing between the normal pty task and the focused main view's raw-diff
+// fallback. When renderRaw is set (the focused main view needs to act on a diff the
+// configured pager can't resolve) it uses a plain command task, which — unlike the
+// pty task — doesn't pipe the diff through a stdin pager (GIT_PAGER); the external
+// diff command, if any, is suppressed in the cmd itself (its ignoreExternalDiff arg).
+// The caller passes the same renderRaw to the diff-cmd builder so the two stay in step.
+func NewMainViewDiffTask(renderRaw bool, cmd *exec.Cmd) UpdateTask {
+	if renderRaw {
+		return NewRunCommandTask(cmd)
+	}
+	return NewRunPtyTask(cmd)
+}
+
+// NewMainViewDiffTaskWithPrefix is NewMainViewDiffTask for a diff rendered with a
+// leading prefix (e.g. a range-diff or stash header).
+func NewMainViewDiffTaskWithPrefix(renderRaw bool, cmd *exec.Cmd, prefix string) UpdateTask {
+	if renderRaw {
+		return NewRunCommandTaskWithPrefix(cmd, prefix)
+	}
+	return NewRunPtyTaskWithPrefix(cmd, prefix)
+}