Add setting to hide/collapse file diff output in chat
Resolved 💬 5 comments Opened Feb 11, 2026 by ds1 Closed Mar 17, 2026
Feature Request
Add a configurable setting to hide or collapse file diff output displayed in the chat after Edit/Write tool calls.
Current Behavior
Every file edit shows a full colored diff (red/green lines with line numbers) inline in the chat. For users who make many edits per session, this creates significant visual clutter and pushes the conversation history off-screen.
Desired Behavior
A setting in ~/.claude/settings.json such as:
{
"showDiffs": false
}
Or a collapsible option that shows a summary line (e.g., "Updated index.html: +6 lines, -1 line") with the ability to expand to see the full diff if needed.
Why This Matters
- Visual noise — diffs dominate the chat view, making it hard to follow the conversation
- Scrolling fatigue — large edits push important context out of view
- Trust model — users on
bypassPermissionsmode have already opted into trusting edits; they can review viagit diffwhen needed - Consistency — Read tool output already shows a compact summary ("Read 25 lines"); Edit/Write could follow the same pattern
Suggested Options
"showDiffs": false— hide diffs entirely, show summary only"showDiffs": "collapsed"— show summary with expandable detail"showDiffs": true— current behavior (default)
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