{"meta":{"title":"generate overlay-changes","intro":"[Plumbing] Generate a file that can be used for the","product":"Security and code quality","breadcrumbs":[{"href":"/en/code-security","title":"Security and code quality"},{"href":"/en/code-security/reference","title":"Reference"},{"href":"/en/code-security/reference/code-scanning","title":"Code scanning"},{"href":"/en/code-security/reference/code-scanning/codeql","title":"CodeQL"},{"href":"/en/code-security/reference/code-scanning/codeql/codeql-cli-manual","title":"CodeQL CLI manual"},{"href":"/en/code-security/reference/code-scanning/codeql/codeql-cli-manual/generate-overlay-changes","title":"generate overlay-changes"}],"documentType":"article"},"body":"# generate overlay-changes\n\n\\[Plumbing] Generate a file that can be used for the\n\n> \\[!NOTE]\n> This content describes the most recent release of the CodeQL CLI. For more information about this release, see <https://github.com/github/codeql-cli-binaries/releases>.\n>\n> To see details of the options available for this command in an earlier release, run the command with the <span style=\"white-space: nowrap;\">`--help`</span> option in your terminal.\n\n## Synopsis\n\n```shell copy\ncodeql generate overlay-changes [--source-root=<dir>] [--output=<file>] <options>... -- <database>\n```\n\n## Description\n\n\\[Plumbing] Generate a file that can be used for the\n`--overlay-changes` option to\n[codeql database create](/en/code-security/reference/code-scanning/codeql/codeql-cli-manual/database-create) when extracting an overlay database.\n\nThis command is intended to be used mostly for manual or automated\ntesting. It is not particularly efficient. For production use, consider\nif the changes file can instead be derived from something like\n`git diff --name-only`.\n\n## Options\n\n### Primary Options\n\n#### `<database>`\n\n\\[Mandatory] Path to the *base* database into which the overlay will be\nextracted.\n\n#### `-s, --source-root=<dir>`\n\nThe directory containing the source code to be extracted as an overlay.\nIf not given, the current working directory is used.\n\n#### `-o, --output=<file>`\n\nThe changes file will be written to this location. If it is not\nspecified, the changes will be written to standard output.\n\n### Common options\n\n#### `-h, --help`\n\nShow this help text.\n\n#### `-J=<opt>`\n\n\\[Advanced] Give option to the JVM running the command.\n\n(Beware that options containing spaces will not be handled correctly.)\n\n#### `-v, --verbose`\n\nIncrementally increase the number of progress messages printed.\n\n#### `-q, --quiet`\n\nIncrementally decrease the number of progress messages printed.\n\n#### `--verbosity=<level>`\n\n\\[Advanced] Explicitly set the verbosity level to one of errors,\nwarnings, progress, progress+, progress++, progress+++. Overrides `-v`\nand `-q`.\n\n#### `--logdir=<dir>`\n\n\\[Advanced] Write detailed logs to one or more files in the given\ndirectory, with generated names that include timestamps and the name of\nthe running subcommand.\n\n(To write a log file with a name you have full control over, instead\ngive `--log-to-stderr` and redirect stderr as desired.)\n\n#### `--common-caches=<dir>`\n\n\\[Advanced] Controls the location of cached data on disk that will\npersist between several runs of the CLI, such as downloaded QL packs and\ncompiled query plans. If not set explicitly, this defaults to a\ndirectory named `.codeql` in the user's home directory; it will be\ncreated if it doesn't already exist.\n\nAvailable since `v2.15.2`."}