How to apply git diff --binary patches without git installed?

Question

I use to git diff to generate patches that can be applied to remote server to update a project.

Locally, I run:

git diff --no-prefix HEAD~1 HEAD > example.patch

Upload example.patch to remote server and run:

patch --dry-run -p0 < example.patch

If dry-run is successful, I run:

patch -p0 < example.patch

This works well, except when diff includes binary files. Today, I found that I can use:

git diff --no-prefix --binary HEAD~1 HEAD > example.patch

The problem is that the generated patch file can not be applied using patch.

How can I apply these binary patch files without having git installed the server?

I would like to maintain ability to use dry-run.

Thank you

Answer 1

For an outlandish answer, what you could do is use sshfs to mount the remote system upon where ever you do have git, and then run your commands that way. Approach the problem from a different frame of reference: Instead of wondering how to run commands where the tool is not, why not create an environment where the data comes to your tool ( via sshfs ? )

Answer 2

In many situations and in this too, you can't create data with more advanced tool and use it with less advanced. It's a happy coincidence that patch works for non-binary git-diffs. git diff introduces an extension to standard diff.

To achieve the goal, you can:

• install git on the destination system (that's the best approach, really)
• mount destination system to local, as chiggsy says
• just scp/rsync new files. Not bad for small ones.