Node:patch Input, Next:Imperfect, Up:Merging with patch

### Selecting the `patch` Input Format

`patch` normally determines which `diff` format the patch file uses by examining its contents. For patch files that contain particularly confusing leading text, you might need to use one of the following options to force `patch` to interpret the patch file as a certain format of diff. The output formats listed here are the only ones that `patch` can understand.

`-c`
`--context`
  context diff.
`-n`
`--normal`
  normal diff.
`-u`
`--unified`
  unified diff.