diff --git a/crates/radicle-cli/examples/rad-diff.md b/crates/radicle-cli/examples/rad-diff.md
index 3010a125..4222fee7 100644
--- a/crates/radicle-cli/examples/rad-diff.md
+++ b/crates/radicle-cli/examples/rad-diff.md
@@ -32,76 +32,74 @@ $ git commit -m "Make changes"
 
 ```
 $ rad diff HEAD^ HEAD
-╭────────────────────────────────────────────╮
-│ README -> README.md ❲moved❳                │
-╰────────────────────────────────────────────╯
-
-╭────────────────────────────────────────────╮
-│ main.c +6 ❲created❳                        │
-├────────────────────────────────────────────┤
-│ @@ -0,0 +1,6 @@                            │
-│      1     + #include <stdio.h>            │
-│      2     +                               │
-│      3     + int main(void) {              │
-│      4     +     printf("Hello World!/n"); │
-│      5     +     return 0;                 │
-│      6     + }                             │
-╰────────────────────────────────────────────╯
-
+diff --git a/README b/README.md
+similarity index 100%
+rename from README
+rename to README.md
+diff --git a/main.c b/main.c
+new file mode 100644
+index 0000000..aae4e0e
+--- /dev/null
++++ b/main.c
+@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
++#include <stdio.h>
++
++int main(void) {
++    printf("Hello World!/n");
++    return 0;
++}
 ```
 
 ```
 $ sed -i 's/Hello World/Hello Radicle/' main.c
 $ rad diff
-╭──────────────────────────────────────────────╮
-│ main.c -1 +1                                 │
-├──────────────────────────────────────────────┤
-│ @@ -1,6 +1,6 @@                              │
-│ 1    1       #include <stdio.h>              │
-│ 2    2                                       │
-│ 3    3       int main(void) {                │
-│ 4          -     printf("Hello World!/n");   │
-│      4     +     printf("Hello Radicle!/n"); │
-│ 5    5           return 0;                   │
-│ 6    6       }                               │
-╰──────────────────────────────────────────────╯
-
+diff --git a/main.c b/main.c
+index aae4e0e..a3ed869 100644
+--- a/main.c
++++ b/main.c
+@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
+ #include <stdio.h>
+ 
+ int main(void) {
+-    printf("Hello World!/n");
++    printf("Hello Radicle!/n");
+     return 0;
+ }
 ```
 
 ```
 $ git add main.c
 $ rad diff
 $ rad diff --staged
-╭──────────────────────────────────────────────╮
-│ main.c -1 +1                                 │
-├──────────────────────────────────────────────┤
-│ @@ -1,6 +1,6 @@                              │
-│ 1    1       #include <stdio.h>              │
-│ 2    2                                       │
-│ 3    3       int main(void) {                │
-│ 4          -     printf("Hello World!/n");   │
-│      4     +     printf("Hello Radicle!/n"); │
-│ 5    5           return 0;                   │
-│ 6    6       }                               │
-╰──────────────────────────────────────────────╯
-
+diff --git a/main.c b/main.c
+index aae4e0e..a3ed869 100644
+--- a/main.c
++++ b/main.c
+@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
+ #include <stdio.h>
+ 
+ int main(void) {
+-    printf("Hello World!/n");
++    printf("Hello Radicle!/n");
+     return 0;
+ }
 ```
 
 ```
 $ git rm -f -q main.c
 $ rad diff --staged
-╭────────────────────────────────────────────╮
-│ main.c -6 ❲deleted❳                        │
-├────────────────────────────────────────────┤
-│ @@ -1,6 +0,0 @@                            │
-│ 1          - #include <stdio.h>            │
-│ 2          -                               │
-│ 3          - int main(void) {              │
-│ 4          -     printf("Hello World!/n"); │
-│ 5          -     return 0;                 │
-│ 6          - }                             │
-╰────────────────────────────────────────────╯
-
+diff --git a/main.c b/main.c
+deleted file mode 100644
+index aae4e0e..0000000
+--- a/main.c
++++ /dev/null
+@@ -1,6 +0,0 @@
+-#include <stdio.h>
+-
+-int main(void) {
+-    printf("Hello World!/n");
+-    return 0;
+-}
 ```
 
 For now, copies are not detected.
@@ -112,13 +110,13 @@ $ mkdir docs
 $ cp README.md docs/README.md
 $ git add docs
 $ rad diff --staged
-╭─────────────────────────────╮
-│ docs/README.md +1 ❲created❳ │
-├─────────────────────────────┤
-│ @@ -0,0 +1,1 @@             │
-│      1     + Hello World!   │
-╰─────────────────────────────╯
-
+diff --git a/docs/README.md b/docs/README.md
+new file mode 100644
+index 0000000..980a0d5
+--- /dev/null
++++ b/docs/README.md
+@@ -0,0 +1 @@
++Hello World!
 $ git reset
 $ git checkout .
 ```
@@ -129,10 +127,9 @@ Empty file.
 $ touch EMPTY
 $ git add EMPTY
 $ rad diff --staged
-╭─────────────────╮
-│ EMPTY ❲created❳ │
-╰─────────────────╯
-
+diff --git a/EMPTY b/EMPTY
+new file mode 100644
+index 0000000..e69de29
 $ git reset
 $ git checkout .
 ```
@@ -142,10 +139,9 @@ File mode change.
 ```
 $ chmod +x README.md
 $ rad diff
-╭───────────────────────────────────────────╮
-│ README.md 100644 -> 100755 ❲mode changed❳ │
-╰───────────────────────────────────────────╯
-
+diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
+old mode 100644
+new mode 100755
 $ git reset -q
 $ git checkout .
 ```
@@ -157,8 +153,8 @@ $ touch file.bin
 $ truncate -s 8 file.bin
 $ git add file.bin
 $ rad diff --staged
-╭─────────────────────────────╮
-│ file.bin ❲binary❳ ❲created❳ │
-╰─────────────────────────────╯
-
+diff --git a/file.bin b/file.bin
+new file mode 100644
+index 0000000..1b1cb4d
+Binary files /dev/null and b/file.bin differ
 ```
diff --git a/crates/radicle-cli/examples/rad-patch-diff.md b/crates/radicle-cli/examples/rad-patch-diff.md
index bb00955f..6504658f 100644
--- a/crates/radicle-cli/examples/rad-patch-diff.md
+++ b/crates/radicle-cli/examples/rad-patch-diff.md
@@ -11,13 +11,13 @@ $ git push rad HEAD:refs/patches
 ```
 ```
 $ rad patch diff 147309e
-╭───────────────────────────╮
-│ README.md +1 ❲created❳    │
-├───────────────────────────┤
-│ @@ -0,0 +1,1 @@           │
-│      1     + Hello World! │
-╰───────────────────────────╯
-
+diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
+new file mode 100644
+index 0000000..980a0d5
+--- /dev/null
++++ b/README.md
+@@ -0,0 +1 @@
++Hello World!
 ```
 
 If we add another file and update the patch, we can see it in the diff.
@@ -32,20 +32,20 @@ $ git push -f
 ```
 ```
 $ rad patch diff 147309e
-╭─────────────────────────────╮
-│ RADICLE.md +1 ❲created❳     │
-├─────────────────────────────┤
-│ @@ -0,0 +1,1 @@             │
-│      1     + Hello Radicle! │
-╰─────────────────────────────╯
-
-╭─────────────────────────────╮
-│ README.md +1 ❲created❳      │
-├─────────────────────────────┤
-│ @@ -0,0 +1,1 @@             │
-│      1     + Hello World!   │
-╰─────────────────────────────╯
-
+diff --git a/RADICLE.md b/RADICLE.md
+new file mode 100644
+index 0000000..e517184
+--- /dev/null
++++ b/RADICLE.md
+@@ -0,0 +1 @@
++Hello Radicle!
+diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
+new file mode 100644
+index 0000000..980a0d5
+--- /dev/null
++++ b/README.md
+@@ -0,0 +1 @@
++Hello World!
 ```
 
 Buf if we only want to see the changes from the first revision, we can do that
@@ -53,11 +53,11 @@ too.
 
 ```
 $ rad patch diff 147309e --revision 147309e
-╭───────────────────────────╮
-│ README.md +1 ❲created❳    │
-├───────────────────────────┤
-│ @@ -0,0 +1,1 @@           │
-│      1     + Hello World! │
-╰───────────────────────────╯
-
+diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
+new file mode 100644
+index 0000000..980a0d5
+--- /dev/null
++++ b/README.md
+@@ -0,0 +1 @@
++Hello World!
 ```
diff --git a/crates/radicle-cli/src/commands/diff.rs b/crates/radicle-cli/src/commands/diff.rs
index 5fefb508..5fa873df 100644
--- a/crates/radicle-cli/src/commands/diff.rs
+++ b/crates/radicle-cli/src/commands/diff.rs
@@ -1,153 +1,14 @@
-use std::ffi::OsString;
+use std::{ffi::OsString, process};
 
-use anyhow::anyhow;
-
-use radicle::git;
-use radicle::rad;
-use radicle_surf as surf;
-
-use crate::git::pretty_diff::ToPretty as _;
-use crate::git::Rev;
-use crate::terminal as term;
-use crate::terminal::args::{Args, Error, Help};
-use crate::terminal::highlight::Highlighter;
-
-pub const HELP: Help = Help {
-    name: "diff",
-    description: "Show changes between commits",
-    version: env!("RADICLE_VERSION"),
-    usage: r#"
-Usage
-
-    rad diff [<commit>] [--staged] [<option>...]
-    rad diff <commit> [<commit>] [<option>...]
-
-    This command is meant to operate as closely as possible to `git diff`,
-    except its output is optimized for human-readability.
-
-Options
-
-    --unified, -U   Context lines to show (default: 5)
-    --staged        View staged changes
-    --color         Force color output
-    --help          Print help
-"#,
-};
-
-pub struct Options {
-    pub commits: Vec<Rev>,
-    pub staged: bool,
-    pub unified: usize,
-    pub color: bool,
-}
-
-impl Args for Options {
-    fn from_args(args: Vec<OsString>) -> anyhow::Result<(Self, Vec<OsString>)> {
-        use lexopt::prelude::*;
-
-        let mut parser = lexopt::Parser::from_args(args);
-        let mut commits = Vec::new();
-        let mut staged = false;
-        let mut unified = 5;
-        let mut color = false;
-
-        while let Some(arg) = parser.next()? {
-            match arg {
-                Long("unified") | Short('U') => {
-                    let val = parser.value()?;
-                    unified = term::args::number(&val)?;
-                }
-                Long("staged") | Long("cached") => staged = true,
-                Long("color") => color = true,
-                Long("help") | Short('h') => return Err(Error::Help.into()),
-                Value(val) => {
-                    let rev = term::args::rev(&val)?;
-
-                    commits.push(rev);
-                }
-                _ => anyhow::bail!(arg.unexpected()),
-            }
-        }
-
-        Ok((
-            Options {
-                commits,
-                staged,
-                unified,
-                color,
-            },
-            vec![],
-        ))
-    }
-}
-
-pub fn run(options: Options, _ctx: impl term::Context) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
+pub fn run(args: Vec<OsString>) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
     crate::warning::deprecated("rad diff", "git diff");
 
-    let repo = rad::repo()?;
-    let oids = options
-        .commits
-        .into_iter()
-        .map(|rev| {
-            repo.revparse_single(rev.as_str())
-                .map_err(|e| anyhow!("unknown object {rev}: {e}"))
-                .and_then(|o| {
-                    o.into_commit()
-                        .map_err(|_| anyhow!("object {rev} is not a commit"))
-                })
-        })
-        .collect::<Result<Vec<_>, _>>()?;
+    let mut child = process::Command::new("git")
+        .arg("diff")
+        .args(args)
+        .spawn()?;
 
-    let mut opts = git::raw::DiffOptions::new();
-    opts.patience(true)
-        .minimal(true)
-        .context_lines(options.unified as u32);
+    let exit_status = child.wait()?;
 
-    let mut find_opts = git::raw::DiffFindOptions::new();
-    find_opts.exact_match_only(true);
-    find_opts.all(true);
-
-    let mut diff = match oids.as_slice() {
-        [] => {
-            if options.staged {
-                let head = repo.head()?.peel_to_tree()?;
-                // HEAD vs. index.
-                repo.diff_tree_to_index(Some(&head), None, Some(&mut opts))
-            } else {
-                // Working tree vs. index.
-                repo.diff_index_to_workdir(None, None)
-            }
-        }
-        [commit] => {
-            let commit = commit.tree()?;
-            if options.staged {
-                // Commit vs. index.
-                repo.diff_tree_to_index(Some(&commit), None, Some(&mut opts))
-            } else {
-                // Commit vs. working tree.
-                repo.diff_tree_to_workdir(Some(&commit), Some(&mut opts))
-            }
-        }
-        [left, right] => {
-            // Commit vs. commit.
-            let left = left.tree()?;
-            let right = right.tree()?;
-
-            repo.diff_tree_to_tree(Some(&left), Some(&right), Some(&mut opts))
-        }
-        _ => {
-            anyhow::bail!("Too many commits given. See `rad diff --help` for usage.");
-        }
-    }?;
-    diff.find_similar(Some(&mut find_opts))?;
-
-    term::Paint::force(options.color);
-
-    let diff = surf::diff::Diff::try_from(diff)?;
-    let mut hi = Highlighter::default();
-    let pretty = diff.pretty(&mut hi, &(), &repo);
-
-    crate::pager::run(pretty)?;
-
-    Ok(())
+    process::exit(exit_status.code().unwrap_or(1));
 }
diff --git a/crates/radicle-cli/src/main.rs b/crates/radicle-cli/src/main.rs
index 480623eb..e0337df5 100644
--- a/crates/radicle-cli/src/main.rs
+++ b/crates/radicle-cli/src/main.rs
@@ -50,6 +50,18 @@ enum Commands {
     Clean(clean::Args),
     Clone(clone::Args),
     Debug(debug::Args),
+
+    /// This command is deprecated and delegates to `git diff`.
+    /// Even before it was deprecated, it was not printed by
+    /// `rad -h`, so it is also hidden.
+    ///
+    /// Since it is hidden, it makes no sense to add `about`
+    /// for the command listing, and since it is external,
+    /// `--help` will delegate to `git diff --help` it makes
+    /// no sense to add `long_about` for `rad diff --help`.
+    #[command(external_subcommand, hide = true)]
+    Diff(Vec<OsString>),
+
     Fork(fork::Args),
     Init(init::Args),
     Issue(issue::Args),
@@ -212,7 +224,11 @@ pub(crate) fn run_other(exe: &str, args: &[OsString]) -> Result<(), Option<anyho
             term::run_command_args::<config::Options, _>(config::HELP, config::run, args.to_vec());
         }
         "diff" => {
-            term::run_command_args::<diff::Options, _>(diff::HELP, diff::run, args.to_vec());
+            if let Some(Commands::Diff(mut args)) = CliArgs::parse().command {
+                debug_assert_eq!(args[0], "diff");
+                args.remove(0);
+                return diff::run(args).map_err(Some);
+            }
         }
         "debug" => {
             if let Some(Commands::Debug(args)) = CliArgs::parse().command {