If you already use `git format-patch`, SharePatch gives you a cleaner way to review the result in the browser.

SharePatch is a browser-based patch viewer and patch-sharing tool for unified diffs, mailing-list patch emails, and `git format-patch` output. It can accept pasted patch text, uploaded `.patch` files, mailbox-style patch series, and raw patch URLs, then render them as structured browser diffs with unlisted shareable links.

## Why use SharePatch for git format-patch output?

`git format-patch` already gives you the right patch format. SharePatch is useful after that point, when you want a browser view that keeps the email-style metadata visible while rendering the diff as normal changed files.

That is especially useful when you want a quick review pass before sharing a patch or sending a series.

For `git format-patch` workflows, SharePatch can:

- accept single `.patch` files and mailbox-style series files
- preserve subject, author, recipients, and series metadata when present
- show the commit message separately from the diff
- render file-by-file changes in side-by-side or line-by-line browser views
- create an unlisted patch URL you can send to reviewers

## Common git format-patch commands

### Single patch to stdout

```
git format-patch --stdout -1 HEAD > latest.patch
```

This is a good default when you want one patch file that you can upload or inspect directly.

### A patch series in mailbox form

```
git format-patch --stdout -3 HEAD > series.mbox
```

### Individual patch files

```
git format-patch -3 HEAD
```

## How to open format-patch output in SharePatch

### Upload a local patch file

1. Open SharePatch.
2. Enter a patch name.
3. Switch to **Upload and edit**.
4. Select the generated `.patch` or `.mbox` file.
5. Complete the human check and submit.

### Paste the output directly

```
git format-patch --stdout -1 HEAD | pbcopy
```

### Import by URL

If the patch file already exists at a raw URL, import it with **URL**.

## What SharePatch shows for git format-patch emails

On the resulting patch page, SharePatch can surface:

- subject
- author
- recipients when present
- series information for patch sets
- commit message text

## Review the formatted patch in the browser

Once the metadata looks right, review the rendered diff normally.

That makes SharePatch useful both as a `git format-patch` viewer and as a simple patch-sharing layer before you send the patch somewhere else.

## Common mistakes to avoid

### Generating the patch and then stripping the email structure

SharePatch can work with the email-style output directly.

### Forgetting that series output is different from a single patch

`git format-patch --stdout -3 HEAD` produces a mailbox-style series, not just one larger diff. Treat it as a series when reviewing.