Patchling

Formerly gptdiff. Same library, same API — pip install patchling (the gptdiff package still resolves during the transition).

Natural-language code transformation, as a library. Hand Patchling a dict of files and a plain-English goal; get back a unified diff — and, via smartapply, the transformed files. It's a bounded primitive you embed inside your own software systems, not an open-ended coding agent.

from patchling import generate_diff, smartapply, build_environment

files = {"main.py": "def old_name():\n    print('Need renaming')\n"}

diff = generate_diff(build_environment(files), "Rename old_name to new_name")
updated = smartapply(diff, files)

print(updated["main.py"])

Files in, files out. No filesystem access required, no agent harness. The hard part — applying an LLM-generated diff that git apply would reject — is what smartapply solves: per-file, AI-assisted patch resolution that survives fuzzy hunks, renames, new files, and deletions.

🌐 Project home: patchling.app — try it live in your browser · 📚 Full documentation at 255bits.github.io/patchling-py

Prefer the browser? The same primitive ships on npm as patchling for JS (generateDiff + smartapply, zero-dependency ESM) — try the live demos →.

---

The Patchling family

The same primitive exists for every runtime, and it powers a real product:

Project	What it is
patchling for Python (this repo)	Python library + CLI tools — PyPI
patchling for JS	Zero-dependency ESM package for browser and Node — generateDiff + smartapply on in-memory file maps — npm
patchling.app	Project homepage with a live in-browser demo of the whole diff → smartapply loop
nanoodle.com	Visual AI workflow editor built on patchling — no server, no signup, bring your own key. See the primitive working in production
Live demos	Browser examples: LLM-edited games, 3D scenes, stream overlays, AI characters

Building for the browser? Start with patchling for JS. Building a Python backend, pipeline, or your own agent? You're in the right repo.

---

Quick Start

1. Install

pip install patchling

2. Set your API key

Works with any OpenAI-compatible endpoint. Get a key at nano-gpt.com/api, or point GPTDIFF_LLM_BASE_URL at your own provider.

# Linux/macOS
export GPTDIFF_LLM_API_KEY='your-api-key'

# Windows
set GPTDIFF_LLM_API_KEY=your-api-key

3. Transform files in your code

from patchling import generate_diff, smartapply, build_environment

files = {
    "models.py": "class User:\n    name = CharField()",
    "tests/test_models.py": "def test_user():\n    User(name='Test').save()",
}

diff = generate_diff(
    build_environment(files),
    "Rename the 'name' field to 'username' across all layers",
)
files = smartapply(diff, files)

The diff is plain unified-diff text — log it, review it, gate it behind approval, or apply it immediately. That's the point: your system stays in control of what changes and when.

See examples/usage_example.py for a runnable version.

---

Core API

• generate_diff(environment: str, goal: str, model: str = ...) -> str — generates a unified diff implementing the goal. model defaults to the GPTDIFF_MODEL env var.
• smartapply(diff_text: str, files: dict[str, str], model: str = ...) -> dict[str, str] — applies a diff with AI-powered conflict resolution. Handles new files, deletions, and hunks that standard patching rejects. Returns a new dict; input is not mutated.
• build_environment(files: dict[str, str]) -> str — serializes a files dict into the environment string generate_diff expects.
• load_project_files(path, cwd) -> dict / save_files(files, base_dir) — optional filesystem helpers for when you do want to read/write a real project (respects .gitignore and .gptignore).

Full signatures, error handling, and edge cases: API Reference.

Pipeline example — sequential transformations over an in-memory codebase:

from patchling import generate_diff, smartapply, build_environment

files = load_your_codebase()  # dict of {path: content}

for task in [
    "Add python type annotations",
    "Convert string formatting to f-strings",
    "Update deprecated API calls",
]:
    files = smartapply(generate_diff(build_environment(files), task), files)

This is the pattern nanoodle.com runs in the browser (via patchling): each workflow node is a bounded diff→apply step over an in-memory file map, and the app never touches a server.

---

Choosing a Model

Reasoning models produce more accurate diffs for complex changes; fast models win for applying diffs and simple edits.

Model	Best for	Notes
gemini-3-pro-preview	Generating diffs	Recommended default
gpt-4o / claude-sonnet-4-20250514	Complex or context-sensitive changes	Slower, more careful
gpt5-mini	Applying diffs (smartapply)	Fast and reliable — best GPTDIFF_SMARTAPPLY_MODEL
gemini-2.0-flash	Simple text changes	Most cost-effective

export GPTDIFF_MODEL='gemini-3-pro-preview'
export GPTDIFF_SMARTAPPLY_MODEL='gpt5-mini'

Environment variables

Variable	Purpose	Default
GPTDIFF_LLM_API_KEY	API key (required)	—
GPTDIFF_MODEL	Model for diff generation	gemini-3-pro-preview
GPTDIFF_SMARTAPPLY_MODEL	Model for applying diffs	GPTDIFF_MODEL
GPTDIFF_LLM_BASE_URL	OpenAI-compatible endpoint	https://nano-gpt.com/api/v1/

---

Command-Line Tools

The library also ships two CLIs for working on a real project directory.

The former command names gptdiff and gptpatch still work as aliases for patchling and patchling-apply, so existing scripts don't break.

patchling

Describe a change; Patchling scans the project (respecting .gitignore/.gptignore), generates a diff, and optionally applies it:

Command	What it does
patchling "prompt"	Writes prompt.txt only — preview what would be sent
patchling "prompt" --call	Generates the diff into diff.patch for review
patchling "prompt" --apply	Generates and applies in one step

cd your-project
patchling "Add type hints to all functions" --apply

# Target specific paths
patchling "Add logging" src/api/ src/utils/helpers.py

Useful flags: --model, --temperature, --prepend <file> (custom instructions), --image <path> (visual context), --nobeep. Full list: CLI Reference.

Because changes arrive as diffs, the CLI is git-native: review with git diff, keep with git add -p, discard with git checkout ..

patchling-apply

Applies an existing unified diff to a project — standard patch logic first, smartapply fallback when that fails:

patchling-apply path/to/diff.patch
patchling-apply --diff "<diff text>"

Options: --project-dir, --model, --max_tokens, --nobeep. Details: patchling-apply docs.

Agent loops

Because each invocation is bounded (one goal → one diff), the CLI composes into loops:

while true; do
  patchling "Add missing test cases for edge conditions" --apply
  git add -A && git commit -m "Auto-improvement $(date +%H:%M)" 2>/dev/null
  sleep 30
done

One overnight test-coverage loop took a project from 18 to 127 test cases. Recipes and guardrails: Automation Guide.

---

Testing

pip install -e .[test]
pytest tests/

Documentation

Docs live at 255bits.github.io/patchling-py. To preview locally:

pip install .[docs]
mkdocs serve

Related projects

• patchling.app — project home, with a live in-browser demo
• patchling for JS — the browser/Node package on npm
• nanoodle.com — visual AI workflow editor built on patchling
• patchling live demos
• AI Agent Toolbox — powers Patchling's tool-call parsing across models

MIT licensed. Built by 255labs.