XY PATH1 -> PATH2
-where `PATH1` is the path in the `HEAD`, and the ` -> PATH2` part is
+where `PATH1` is the path in the `HEAD`, and the ` \-> PATH2` part is
shown only when `PATH1` corresponds to a different path in the
index/worktree (i.e. the file is renamed). The 'XY' is a two-letter
status code.
-The fields (including the `->`) are separated from each other by a
+The fields (including the `\->`) are separated from each other by a
single space. If a filename contains whitespace or other nonprintable
characters, that field will be quoted in the manner of a C string
literal: surrounded by ASCII double quote (34) characters, and with
There is also an alternate -z format recommended for machine parsing. In
that format, the status field is the same, but some other things
-change. First, the '->' is omitted from rename entries and the field
-order is reversed (e.g 'from -> to' becomes 'to from'). Second, a NUL
+change. First, the '\->' is omitted from rename entries and the field
+order is reversed (e.g 'from \-> to' becomes 'to from'). Second, a NUL
(ASCII 0) follows each filename, replacing space as a field separator
and the terminating newline (but a space still separates the status
field from the first filename). Third, filenames containing special