PTGit

Readable Git diffs for Cisco Packet Tracer .pkt files. Compare device configuration, IP addresses, VLANs, and cables from the command line or in a GitHub pull request.

Download v0.1.1 · GitHub Marketplace

R1
  interface GigabitEthernet0/0
   ip address 192.168.10.1/24
   no shutdown
+ interface GigabitEthernet0/1
+  ip address 10.10.20.1/24
+  no shutdown

SW2
  interface GigabitEthernet0/1
   switchport mode access
-  switchport access vlan 10
+  switchport access vlan 20

Topology
+ R1:GigabitEthernet0/1 <-> SW2:GigabitEthernet0/1 [eStraightThrough]

Install

Requires Python 3.10+ and Git. From your lab's Git repository:

python -m pip install "git+https://github.com/ivanimmanuel-dev/PTGit.git@v0.1.1"
ptgit init
git add .gitattributes
git diff -- lab.pkt

Commit .gitattributes with your lab. Each collaborator runs ptgit init once to register the converter in their clone. Staged changes work with git diff --cached.

PTGit runs offline and uses the Python standard library. Packet Tracer is only needed to create or edit the lab.

Commands

Command	Purpose
ptgit init	Set up .pkt diffs in the current Git repository
ptgit diff old.pkt new.pkt	Compare two saves
ptgit show lab.pkt	Read configuration and topology
ptgit lint lab.pkt	Check IPs, VLANs, and cable connections
ptgit export lab.pkt --json	Export lab data as JSON

The default view uses running configuration. diff, show, lint, and export accept --config startup. Git diffs and the Action use running configuration.

For scripts, diff --exit-code returns 1 when changes exist. lint returns 1 for errors; add --strict to include warnings or --json for structured findings. Input and setup errors return 2. Successful commands return 0.

GitHub Action

Add this workflow to your lab repository. Open its Job Summary for the diff; the JSON report is attached as an artifact.

name: PTGit
on: [pull_request]
permissions:
  contents: read
jobs:
  packet-tracer-diff:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    timeout-minutes: 25
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v7
        with:
          fetch-depth: 0
          persist-credentials: false
      - uses: ivanimmanuel-dev/PTGit@v0.1.1

Action options · Git setup

Compared fields

PTGit compares device names, types, models, power state, saved IOS configuration, VLAN databases, host gateways and DNS, port IP settings, and cable endpoints/types. Layout, internal IDs, runtime counters, and device ordering are ignored. ACL and route-map command order is preserved.

Device renames appear as removal/addition. .pka activities, simulation events, IoT programs, service records, and wireless settings outside IOS are excluded. See the comparison rules for details.

Development and license

Contributing covers setup and tests. Release history lists versions.

MIT licensed. Decoding uses Unpacket and pktforge. See third-party notices and security reporting.