Patch applies fake diffs from commit messages | Hacker News

Hacker News discussion highlights a parsing quirk in git-am: unindented diffs embedded in commit messages can be treated as real patches.

GNU patch is more flexible, recognizing additional formatting such as indented diffs and RFC 934 encapsulation.

The difference can lead to unintended changes or inconsistent patch application across tools and systems.

The issue matters for developers and distributors working with emailed, embedded, or copy-pasted patches.