PATCH File Extension
Have a problem opening a .PATCH file? We collect information about file formats and can explain what PATCH files are. Additionally we recommend software suitable for opening or converting such files.
Have a problem opening a .PATCH file? We collect information about file formats and can explain what PATCH files are. Additionally we recommend software suitable for opening or converting such files.
The .patch extension means what it says, a patch, and is used to denote various patch files. A patch is a programming concept that simply means application and incorporation of small code changes into the original source code or binary.
A patch is a plaintext or binary file containing code changes to be applied, together with some metadata to keep track of patches.
Most commonly, a .patch file would be a plaintext file holding a source code of a patch along with patch-control metadata. PATCH files are viewable and editable with a text editor, however, they are often XML-based and normally generated via special developer's software tools for patch-level and version control. There are strict rules for creating patches so that a patch can be successfully merged.
Binary patches are executable files that apply binary byte changes to the original binary, or replace whole sections with an updated code. Binary patches are often called hotfixes. In Windows, binary patches would have the .exe extension.