Format guide
What is PATCH?
Patch file is a patch file used as readable text configuration or markup, created by Various. Patch application text for source trees. Keep secrets local — Format Convertly converts in the browser without uploading.
PATCH format specifications
- Full name
- Patch file
- Kind
- configuration / plain text
- File extension
- .patch
- MIME type
- text/x-diff
- Developer / standard
- Various
- Compression
- None (plain text)
- Quality model
- Lossless / not lossy
- Container
- No / single bitstream typical
- Common codecs
- —
- Technical sources
- —
- Transparency
- Not supported
- Animation
- No (still / non-animated typical use)
- Typical size
- Tiny
- Browser support
- Download/edit as text
- Compatibility
- Text editors and relevant runtimes
PATCH compression & quality
PATCH is text. Compress with ZIP/GZ only for transport.
Quality: Exact text
Typical size: Tiny
Transparency & animation
Not applicable.
Not applicable.
PATCH metadata
Usually none beyond encoding.
Best use cases for PATCH
- Patch application text for source trees
- Developer workflows
- Config and docs pipelines
When to avoid PATCH
- Uploading secrets to untrusted converters
- Treating as a rich document format
Advantages
- Readable
- Scriptable
- Easy to convert to other text forms
Disadvantages
- Easy to leak secrets
- Dialect/tool specific
- Not for non-technical publishing
Compatibility
Text editors and relevant runtimes
Browsers: Download/edit as text
Software support
- VS Code
- Server tooling
- Format Convertly
Device support
- Developer and ops machines
How to open PATCH
Open with any text editor.
How to convert PATCH
Convert with Format Convertly’s browser text/data tools — keep secrets on-device.
Popular PATCH conversions
Related formats
PATCH tools
Tools extend the format graph beyond one-off conversion — compression, metadata, and utilities for real workflows.
PATCH FAQ
What is PATCH?
Patch file. Patch application text for source trees.
Are my PATCH files uploaded on Format Convertly?
No. PATCH conversion runs in your browser. Files are not sent to Format Convertly servers for processing.