---
layout: post
title: diffoscope 85 released
author: Mattia Rizzolo <mattia@debian.org>
---

The diffoscope maintainers are pleased to announce the release of diffoscope
version `85`. This version includes the following changes:

```
[ Mattia Rizzolo ]
* tools:
  + move from the deprecated platform.linux_distribution() to the external
    python package "distro".  Add it as an optioanl dependency, as without it
    distribution detection (i.e. `diffoscope --list-tools`) won't work.
    Also add it as a Debian (hard) dependency, as it's a very lightway
    package, and the usefulness it brings are great.
  + add a get_package_provider() function, returning the package name
    that best matches the system.
* exc:
  + in RequiredToolNotFound.get_package(), just call the new
    get_package_provider()
* debian/rules:
  + recommends the defusedxml python package, to avoid using the python3's
    standard xml library and its security holes.

[ Chris Lamb ]
* comparators:
  + sqlite:
    - Simplify file detection by rewriting manual `recognizes` call
      with a `Sqlite3Database.RE_FILE_TYPE` definition.
  + xml:
    - Fix EPUB "missing file" tests; they ship a META-INF/container.xml file.

[ Ximin Luo ]
* comparators:
  + factor common logic from various comparators into File.recognizes.
  + more tidying up and making names consistent.
  + directory:
    - make stat(1) warning textually like the other warnings.
    - bump stat(1) warning into an error.
    - use getfacl(1) before lsattr(1) as it's more general.
  + apk:
    - less kludgy way of detecting APKs.  Closes: #868486
* main, logging:
  + restore old logger settings to avoid pytest fail in certain situations.
* debian/rules:
  + add a check to prevent additions of "DOS/MBR" file type.
* feeder:
  + force a flush when writing output to diff.  Closes: #870049
* tests/comparators:
  + directory:
    - be less strict about the expected test output, to cope with a missing
      `getfacl`.  Closes: #868534

[ Juliana Oliveira Rodrigues ]
* comparators:
  + Add new XML comparator.  Closes: #866120
    The comparator will use defusedxml if this is installed, to avoid
    falling in known security holes coming from the XML specification.
* tests/comparators:
  + apk:
    - fix the tests after the addition of the XML comparator.
  + image:
    - fix test_ico_image for identify >= 6.9.8.

[ Guangyuan Yang ]
* tests/comparators:
  + device:
    - fix 2 cases for FreeBSD.
```

You find out more by [visiting the project homepage](https://diffoscope.org).