Checking files differences before an update

Question

Like most Ubuntu systems, I have updates checking turned on. So, eventually, I have a batch of updates to decide, select and allow.

Is there some quick (or, at least, good) way to effectively check what has changed before I update?

I've tried checking Launchpad packages.ubuntu.com for a given package (in my example, zsh-doc), I could find changelogs, package versions, but not a diff.

What I would really like to do is to check (on file contents level) what has changed from my installed version.

I don't have this curiosity on most of the updates, I just allow most of them. But sometimes it seems nice to know exactly what has changed.

Answer 1

Here's an example of one way to find the diffs on Launchpad:

First, locate the project page on Launchpad.

Example: Unattended Upgrades is at
https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/unattended-upgrades

Next, at the bottom of the page are the various releases. Look for the release that you are interested in, and expand it. The diffs used are in the release details.

Example: The diffs used in Unattended Upgrades 1.5 are at
https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/unattended-upgrades/1.5ubuntu2