mandir = share/man
 infodir = share/info
 gitexecdir = libexec/git-core
+mergetoolsdir = $(gitexecdir)/mergetools
 sharedir = $(prefix)/share
 gitwebdir = $(sharedir)/gitweb
 template_dir = share/git-core/templates
 gitexec_instdir_SQ = $(subst ','\'',$(gitexec_instdir))
 export gitexec_instdir
 
+ifneq ($(filter /%,$(firstword $(mergetoolsdir))),)
+mergetools_instdir = $(mergetoolsdir)
+else
+mergetools_instdir = $(prefix)/$(mergetoolsdir)
+endif
+mergetools_instdir_SQ = $(subst ','\'',$(mergetools_instdir))
+
 install_bindir_programs := $(patsubst %,%$X,$(BINDIR_PROGRAMS_NEED_X)) $(BINDIR_PROGRAMS_NO_X)
 
 install: all
        $(INSTALL) -m 644 $(SCRIPT_LIB) '$(DESTDIR_SQ)$(gitexec_instdir_SQ)'
        $(INSTALL) $(install_bindir_programs) '$(DESTDIR_SQ)$(bindir_SQ)'
        $(MAKE) -C templates DESTDIR='$(DESTDIR_SQ)' install
+       $(INSTALL) -d -m 755 '$(DESTDIR_SQ)$(mergetools_instdir_SQ)'
+       (cd mergetools && $(TAR) cf - .) | \
+       (cd '$(DESTDIR_SQ)$(mergetools_instdir_SQ)' && umask 022 && $(TAR) xof -)
 ifndef NO_PERL
        $(MAKE) -C perl prefix='$(prefix_SQ)' DESTDIR='$(DESTDIR_SQ)' install
        $(MAKE) -C gitweb install
 
 }
 
 translate_merge_tool_path () {
-       case "$1" in
-       araxis)
-               echo compare
-               ;;
-       bc3)
-               echo bcompare
-               ;;
-       emerge)
-               echo emacs
-               ;;
-       gvimdiff|gvimdiff2)
-               echo gvim
-               ;;
-       vimdiff|vimdiff2)
-               echo vim
-               ;;
-       *)
-               echo "$1"
-               ;;
-       esac
+       echo "$1"
 }
 
 check_unchanged () {
        fi
 }
 
+valid_tool_config () {
+       if test -n "$(get_merge_tool_cmd "$1")"
+       then
+               return 0
+       else
+               return 1
+       fi
+}
+
 valid_tool () {
+       setup_tool "$1" || valid_tool_config "$1"
+}
+
+setup_tool () {
        case "$1" in
-       araxis | bc3 | diffuse | ecmerge | emerge | gvimdiff | gvimdiff2 | \
-       kdiff3 | meld | opendiff | p4merge | tkdiff | vimdiff | vimdiff2 | xxdiff)
-               ;; # happy
-       kompare)
-               if ! diff_mode
-               then
-                       return 1
-               fi
-               ;;
-       tortoisemerge)
-               if ! merge_mode
-               then
-                       return 1
-               fi
+       vim*|gvim*)
+               tool=vim
                ;;
        *)
-               if test -z "$(get_merge_tool_cmd "$1")"
-               then
-                       return 1
-               fi
+               tool="$1"
                ;;
        esac
+       mergetools="$(git --exec-path)/mergetools"
+
+       # Load the default definitions
+       . "$mergetools/defaults"
+       if ! test -f "$mergetools/$tool"
+       then
+               return 1
+       fi
+
+       # Load the redefined functions
+       . "$mergetools/$tool"
+
+       if merge_mode && ! can_merge
+       then
+               echo "error: '$tool' can not be used to resolve merges" >&2
+               exit 1
+       elif diff_mode && ! can_diff
+       then
+               echo "error: '$tool' can only be used to resolve merges" >&2
+               exit 1
+       fi
+       return 0
 }
 
 get_merge_tool_cmd () {
        # Prints the custom command for a merge tool
-       if test -n "$1"
-       then
-               merge_tool="$1"
-       else
-               merge_tool="$(get_merge_tool)"
-       fi
+       merge_tool="$1"
        if diff_mode
        then
                echo "$(git config difftool.$merge_tool.cmd ||
        fi
 }
 
+# Entry point for running tools
 run_merge_tool () {
        # If GIT_PREFIX is empty then we cannot use it in tools
        # that expect to be able to chdir() to its value.
        base_present="$2"
        status=0
 
-       case "$1" in
-       araxis)
-               if merge_mode
-               then
-                       touch "$BACKUP"
-                       if $base_present
-                       then
-                               "$merge_tool_path" -wait -merge -3 -a1 \
-                                       "$BASE" "$LOCAL" "$REMOTE" "$MERGED" \
-                                       >/dev/null 2>&1
-                       else
-                               "$merge_tool_path" -wait -2 \
-                                       "$LOCAL" "$REMOTE" "$MERGED" \
-                                       >/dev/null 2>&1
-                       fi
-                       check_unchanged
-               else
-                       "$merge_tool_path" -wait -2 "$LOCAL" "$REMOTE" \
-                               >/dev/null 2>&1
-               fi
-               ;;
-       bc3)
-               if merge_mode
-               then
-                       touch "$BACKUP"
-                       if $base_present
-                       then
-                               "$merge_tool_path" "$LOCAL" "$REMOTE" "$BASE" \
-                                       -mergeoutput="$MERGED"
-                       else
-                               "$merge_tool_path" "$LOCAL" "$REMOTE" \
-                                       -mergeoutput="$MERGED"
-                       fi
-                       check_unchanged
-               else
-                       "$merge_tool_path" "$LOCAL" "$REMOTE"
-               fi
-               ;;
-       diffuse)
-               if merge_mode
-               then
-                       touch "$BACKUP"
-                       if $base_present
-                       then
-                               "$merge_tool_path" \
-                                       "$LOCAL" "$MERGED" "$REMOTE" \
-                                       "$BASE" | cat
-                       else
-                               "$merge_tool_path" \
-                                       "$LOCAL" "$MERGED" "$REMOTE" | cat
-                       fi
-                       check_unchanged
-               else
-                       "$merge_tool_path" "$LOCAL" "$REMOTE" | cat
-               fi
-               ;;
-       ecmerge)
-               if merge_mode
-               then
-                       touch "$BACKUP"
-                       if $base_present
-                       then
-                               "$merge_tool_path" "$BASE" "$LOCAL" "$REMOTE" \
-                                       --default --mode=merge3 --to="$MERGED"
-                       else
-                               "$merge_tool_path" "$LOCAL" "$REMOTE" \
-                                       --default --mode=merge2 --to="$MERGED"
-                       fi
-                       check_unchanged
-               else
-                       "$merge_tool_path" --default --mode=diff2 \
-                               "$LOCAL" "$REMOTE"
-               fi
-               ;;
-       emerge)
-               if merge_mode
-               then
-                       if $base_present
-                       then
-                               "$merge_tool_path" \
-                                       -f emerge-files-with-ancestor-command \
-                                       "$LOCAL" "$REMOTE" "$BASE" \
-                                       "$(basename "$MERGED")"
-                       else
-                               "$merge_tool_path" \
-                                       -f emerge-files-command \
-                                       "$LOCAL" "$REMOTE" \
-                                       "$(basename "$MERGED")"
-                       fi
-                       status=$?
-               else
-                       "$merge_tool_path" -f emerge-files-command \
-                               "$LOCAL" "$REMOTE"
-               fi
-               ;;
-       gvimdiff|vimdiff)
-               if merge_mode
-               then
-                       touch "$BACKUP"
-                       if $base_present
-                       then
-                               "$merge_tool_path" -f -d -c "wincmd J" \
-                                       "$MERGED" "$LOCAL" "$BASE" "$REMOTE"
-                       else
-                               "$merge_tool_path" -f -d -c "wincmd l" \
-                                       "$LOCAL" "$MERGED" "$REMOTE"
-                       fi
-                       check_unchanged
-               else
-                       "$merge_tool_path" -R -f -d -c "wincmd l" \
-                               -c 'cd $GIT_PREFIX' \
-                               "$LOCAL" "$REMOTE"
-               fi
-               ;;
-       gvimdiff2|vimdiff2)
-               if merge_mode
-               then
-                       touch "$BACKUP"
-                       "$merge_tool_path" -f -d -c "wincmd l" \
-                               "$LOCAL" "$MERGED" "$REMOTE"
-                       check_unchanged
-               else
-                       "$merge_tool_path" -R -f -d -c "wincmd l" \
-                               -c 'cd $GIT_PREFIX' \
-                               "$LOCAL" "$REMOTE"
-               fi
-               ;;
-       kdiff3)
-               if merge_mode
-               then
-                       if $base_present
-                       then
-                               "$merge_tool_path" --auto \
-                                       --L1 "$MERGED (Base)" \
-                                       --L2 "$MERGED (Local)" \
-                                       --L3 "$MERGED (Remote)" \
-                                       -o "$MERGED" \
-                                       "$BASE" "$LOCAL" "$REMOTE" \
-                               >/dev/null 2>&1
-                       else
-                               "$merge_tool_path" --auto \
-                                       --L1 "$MERGED (Local)" \
-                                       --L2 "$MERGED (Remote)" \
-                                       -o "$MERGED" \
-                                       "$LOCAL" "$REMOTE" \
-                               >/dev/null 2>&1
-                       fi
-                       status=$?
-               else
-                       "$merge_tool_path" --auto \
-                               --L1 "$MERGED (A)" \
-                               --L2 "$MERGED (B)" "$LOCAL" "$REMOTE" \
-                       >/dev/null 2>&1
-               fi
-               ;;
-       kompare)
-               "$merge_tool_path" "$LOCAL" "$REMOTE"
-               ;;
-       meld)
-               if merge_mode
-               then
-                       touch "$BACKUP"
-                       "$merge_tool_path" "$LOCAL" "$MERGED" "$REMOTE"
-                       check_unchanged
-               else
-                       "$merge_tool_path" "$LOCAL" "$REMOTE"
-               fi
-               ;;
-       opendiff)
-               if merge_mode
-               then
-                       touch "$BACKUP"
-                       if $base_present
-                       then
-                               "$merge_tool_path" "$LOCAL" "$REMOTE" \
-                                       -ancestor "$BASE" \
-                                       -merge "$MERGED" | cat
-                       else
-                               "$merge_tool_path" "$LOCAL" "$REMOTE" \
-                                       -merge "$MERGED" | cat
-                       fi
-                       check_unchanged
-               else
-                       "$merge_tool_path" "$LOCAL" "$REMOTE" | cat
-               fi
-               ;;
-       p4merge)
-               if merge_mode
-               then
-                       touch "$BACKUP"
-                       $base_present || >"$BASE"
-                       "$merge_tool_path" "$BASE" "$LOCAL" "$REMOTE" "$MERGED"
-                       check_unchanged
-               else
-                       "$merge_tool_path" "$LOCAL" "$REMOTE"
-               fi
-               ;;
-       tkdiff)
-               if merge_mode
-               then
-                       if $base_present
-                       then
-                               "$merge_tool_path" -a "$BASE" \
-                                       -o "$MERGED" "$LOCAL" "$REMOTE"
-                       else
-                               "$merge_tool_path" \
-                                       -o "$MERGED" "$LOCAL" "$REMOTE"
-                       fi
-                       status=$?
-               else
-                       "$merge_tool_path" "$LOCAL" "$REMOTE"
-               fi
-               ;;
-       tortoisemerge)
-               if $base_present
-               then
-                       touch "$BACKUP"
-                       "$merge_tool_path" \
-                               -base:"$BASE" -mine:"$LOCAL" \
-                               -theirs:"$REMOTE" -merged:"$MERGED"
-                       check_unchanged
-               else
-                       echo "TortoiseMerge cannot be used without a base" 1>&2
-                       status=1
-               fi
-               ;;
-       xxdiff)
-               if merge_mode
-               then
-                       touch "$BACKUP"
-                       if $base_present
-                       then
-                               "$merge_tool_path" -X --show-merged-pane \
-                                       -R 'Accel.SaveAsMerged: "Ctrl-S"' \
-                                       -R 'Accel.Search: "Ctrl+F"' \
-                                       -R 'Accel.SearchForward: "Ctrl-G"' \
-                                       --merged-file "$MERGED" \
-                                       "$LOCAL" "$BASE" "$REMOTE"
-                       else
-                               "$merge_tool_path" -X $extra \
-                                       -R 'Accel.SaveAsMerged: "Ctrl-S"' \
-                                       -R 'Accel.Search: "Ctrl+F"' \
-                                       -R 'Accel.SearchForward: "Ctrl-G"' \
-                                       --merged-file "$MERGED" \
-                                       "$LOCAL" "$REMOTE"
-                       fi
-                       check_unchanged
-               else
-                       "$merge_tool_path" \
-                               -R 'Accel.Search: "Ctrl+F"' \
-                               -R 'Accel.SearchForward: "Ctrl-G"' \
-                               "$LOCAL" "$REMOTE"
-               fi
-               ;;
-       *)
-               merge_tool_cmd="$(get_merge_tool_cmd "$1")"
-               if test -z "$merge_tool_cmd"
-               then
-                       if merge_mode
-                       then
-                               status=1
-                       fi
-                       break
-               fi
-               if merge_mode
-               then
-                       trust_exit_code="$(git config --bool \
-                               mergetool."$1".trustExitCode || echo false)"
-                       if test "$trust_exit_code" = "false"
-                       then
-                               touch "$BACKUP"
-                               ( eval $merge_tool_cmd )
-                               check_unchanged
-                       else
-                               ( eval $merge_tool_cmd )
-                               status=$?
-                       fi
-               else
-                       ( eval $merge_tool_cmd )
-               fi
-               ;;
-       esac
+       # Bring tool-specific functions into scope
+       setup_tool "$1"
+
+       if merge_mode
+       then
+               merge_cmd "$1"
+       else
+               diff_cmd "$1"
+       fi
        return $status
 }
 
 
 get_merge_tool_path () {
        # A merge tool has been set, so verify that it's valid.
-       if test -n "$1"
-       then
-               merge_tool="$1"
-       else
-               merge_tool="$(get_merge_tool)"
-       fi
+       merge_tool="$1"
        if ! valid_tool "$merge_tool"
        then
                echo >&2 "Unknown merge tool $merge_tool"
 
 get_merge_tool () {
        # Check if a merge tool has been configured
-       merge_tool=$(get_configured_merge_tool)
+       merge_tool="$(get_configured_merge_tool)"
        # Try to guess an appropriate merge tool if no tool has been set.
        if test -z "$merge_tool"
        then
 
--- /dev/null
+diff_cmd () {
+       "$merge_tool_path" -wait -2 "$LOCAL" "$REMOTE" >/dev/null 2>&1
+}
+
+merge_cmd () {
+       touch "$BACKUP"
+       if $base_present
+       then
+               "$merge_tool_path" -wait -merge -3 -a1 \
+                       "$BASE" "$LOCAL" "$REMOTE" "$MERGED" >/dev/null 2>&1
+       else
+               "$merge_tool_path" -wait -2 \
+                       "$LOCAL" "$REMOTE" "$MERGED" >/dev/null 2>&1
+       fi
+       check_unchanged
+}
+
+translate_merge_tool_path() {
+       echo compare
+}
 
--- /dev/null
+diff_cmd () {
+       "$merge_tool_path" "$LOCAL" "$REMOTE"
+}
+
+merge_cmd () {
+       touch "$BACKUP"
+       if $base_present
+       then
+               "$merge_tool_path" "$LOCAL" "$REMOTE" "$BASE" \
+                       -mergeoutput="$MERGED"
+       else
+               "$merge_tool_path" "$LOCAL" "$REMOTE" \
+                       -mergeoutput="$MERGED"
+       fi
+       check_unchanged
+}
+
+translate_merge_tool_path() {
+       echo bcompare
+}
 
--- /dev/null
+# Redefined by builtin tools
+can_merge () {
+       return 0
+}
+
+can_diff () {
+       return 0
+}
+
+diff_cmd () {
+       merge_tool_cmd="$(get_merge_tool_cmd "$1")"
+       if test -z "$merge_tool_cmd"
+       then
+               status=1
+               break
+       fi
+       ( eval $merge_tool_cmd )
+       status=$?
+       return $status
+}
+
+merge_cmd () {
+       merge_tool_cmd="$(get_merge_tool_cmd "$1")"
+       if test -z "$merge_tool_cmd"
+       then
+               status=1
+               break
+       fi
+       trust_exit_code="$(git config --bool \
+               mergetool."$1".trustExitCode || echo false)"
+       if test "$trust_exit_code" = "false"
+       then
+               touch "$BACKUP"
+               ( eval $merge_tool_cmd )
+               status=$?
+               check_unchanged
+       else
+               ( eval $merge_tool_cmd )
+               status=$?
+       fi
+       return $status
+}
+
+translate_merge_tool_path () {
+       echo "$1"
+}
 
--- /dev/null
+diff_cmd () {
+       "$merge_tool_path" "$LOCAL" "$REMOTE" | cat
+}
+
+merge_cmd () {
+       touch "$BACKUP"
+       if $base_present
+       then
+               "$merge_tool_path" \
+                       "$LOCAL" "$MERGED" "$REMOTE" \
+                       "$BASE" | cat
+       else
+               "$merge_tool_path" \
+                       "$LOCAL" "$MERGED" "$REMOTE" | cat
+       fi
+       check_unchanged
+}
 
--- /dev/null
+diff_cmd () {
+       "$merge_tool_path" --default --mode=diff2 "$LOCAL" "$REMOTE"
+}
+
+merge_cmd () {
+       touch "$BACKUP"
+       if $base_present
+       then
+               "$merge_tool_path" "$BASE" "$LOCAL" "$REMOTE" \
+                       --default --mode=merge3 --to="$MERGED"
+       else
+               "$merge_tool_path" "$LOCAL" "$REMOTE" \
+                       --default --mode=merge2 --to="$MERGED"
+       fi
+       check_unchanged
+}
 
--- /dev/null
+diff_cmd () {
+       "$merge_tool_path" -f emerge-files-command "$LOCAL" "$REMOTE"
+}
+
+merge_cmd () {
+       if $base_present
+       then
+               "$merge_tool_path" \
+                       -f emerge-files-with-ancestor-command \
+                       "$LOCAL" "$REMOTE" "$BASE" \
+                       "$(basename "$MERGED")"
+       else
+               "$merge_tool_path" \
+                       -f emerge-files-command \
+                       "$LOCAL" "$REMOTE" \
+                       "$(basename "$MERGED")"
+       fi
+       status=$?
+}
+
+translate_merge_tool_path() {
+       echo emacs
+}
 
--- /dev/null
+diff_cmd () {
+       "$merge_tool_path" --auto \
+               --L1 "$MERGED (A)" --L2 "$MERGED (B)" \
+               "$LOCAL" "$REMOTE" >/dev/null 2>&1
+}
+
+merge_cmd () {
+       if $base_present
+       then
+               "$merge_tool_path" --auto \
+                       --L1 "$MERGED (Base)" \
+                       --L2 "$MERGED (Local)" \
+                       --L3 "$MERGED (Remote)" \
+                       -o "$MERGED" "$BASE" "$LOCAL" "$REMOTE" \
+               >/dev/null 2>&1
+       else
+               "$merge_tool_path" --auto \
+                       --L1 "$MERGED (Local)" \
+                       --L2 "$MERGED (Remote)" \
+                       -o "$MERGED" "$LOCAL" "$REMOTE" \
+               >/dev/null 2>&1
+       fi
+       status=$?
+}
 
--- /dev/null
+can_merge () {
+       return 1
+}
+
+diff_cmd () {
+       "$merge_tool_path" "$LOCAL" "$REMOTE"
+}
 
--- /dev/null
+diff_cmd () {
+       "$merge_tool_path" "$LOCAL" "$REMOTE"
+}
+
+merge_cmd () {
+       touch "$BACKUP"
+       "$merge_tool_path" "$LOCAL" "$MERGED" "$REMOTE"
+       check_unchanged
+}
 
--- /dev/null
+diff_cmd () {
+       "$merge_tool_path" "$LOCAL" "$REMOTE" | cat
+}
+
+merge_cmd () {
+       touch "$BACKUP"
+       if $base_present
+       then
+               "$merge_tool_path" "$LOCAL" "$REMOTE" \
+                       -ancestor "$BASE" -merge "$MERGED" | cat
+       else
+               "$merge_tool_path" "$LOCAL" "$REMOTE" \
+                       -merge "$MERGED" | cat
+       fi
+       check_unchanged
+}
 
--- /dev/null
+diff_cmd () {
+       "$merge_tool_path" "$LOCAL" "$REMOTE"
+}
+
+merge_cmd () {
+       touch "$BACKUP"
+       $base_present || >"$BASE"
+       "$merge_tool_path" "$BASE" "$LOCAL" "$REMOTE" "$MERGED"
+       check_unchanged
+}
 
--- /dev/null
+diff_cmd () {
+       "$merge_tool_path" "$LOCAL" "$REMOTE"
+}
+
+merge_cmd () {
+       if $base_present
+       then
+               "$merge_tool_path" -a "$BASE" -o "$MERGED" "$LOCAL" "$REMOTE"
+       else
+               "$merge_tool_path" -o "$MERGED" "$LOCAL" "$REMOTE"
+       fi
+}
 
--- /dev/null
+can_diff () {
+       return 1
+}
+
+merge_cmd () {
+       if $base_present
+       then
+               touch "$BACKUP"
+               "$merge_tool_path" \
+                       -base:"$BASE" -mine:"$LOCAL" \
+                       -theirs:"$REMOTE" -merged:"$MERGED"
+               check_unchanged
+       else
+               echo "TortoiseMerge cannot be used without a base" 1>&2
+               return 1
+       fi
+}
 
--- /dev/null
+diff_cmd () {
+       case "$1" in
+       gvimdiff|vimdiff)
+               "$merge_tool_path" -R -f -d \
+                       -c 'wincmd l' -c 'cd $GIT_PREFIX' "$LOCAL" "$REMOTE"
+               ;;
+       gvimdiff2|vimdiff2)
+               "$merge_tool_path" -R -f -d \
+                       -c 'wincmd l' -c 'cd $GIT_PREFIX' "$LOCAL" "$REMOTE"
+               ;;
+       esac
+}
+
+merge_cmd () {
+       touch "$BACKUP"
+       case "$1" in
+       gvimdiff|vimdiff)
+               if $base_present
+               then
+                       "$merge_tool_path" -f -d -c 'wincmd J' \
+                               "$MERGED" "$LOCAL" "$BASE" "$REMOTE"
+               else
+                       "$merge_tool_path" -f -d -c 'wincmd l' \
+                               "$LOCAL" "$MERGED" "$REMOTE"
+               fi
+               ;;
+       gvimdiff2|vimdiff2)
+               "$merge_tool_path" -f -d -c 'wincmd l' \
+                       "$LOCAL" "$MERGED" "$REMOTE"
+               ;;
+       esac
+       check_unchanged
+}
+
+translate_merge_tool_path() {
+       case "$1" in
+       gvimdiff|gvimdiff2)
+               echo gvim
+               ;;
+       vimdiff|vimdiff2)
+               echo vim
+               ;;
+       esac
+}
 
--- /dev/null
+diff_cmd () {
+       "$merge_tool_path" \
+               -R 'Accel.Search: "Ctrl+F"' \
+               -R 'Accel.SearchForward: "Ctrl-G"' \
+               "$LOCAL" "$REMOTE"
+}
+
+merge_cmd () {
+       touch "$BACKUP"
+       if $base_present
+       then
+               "$merge_tool_path" -X --show-merged-pane \
+                       -R 'Accel.SaveAsMerged: "Ctrl-S"' \
+                       -R 'Accel.Search: "Ctrl+F"' \
+                       -R 'Accel.SearchForward: "Ctrl-G"' \
+                       --merged-file "$MERGED" "$LOCAL" "$BASE" "$REMOTE"
+       else
+               "$merge_tool_path" -X $extra \
+                       -R 'Accel.SaveAsMerged: "Ctrl-S"' \
+                       -R 'Accel.Search: "Ctrl+F"' \
+                       -R 'Accel.SearchForward: "Ctrl-G"' \
+                       --merged-file "$MERGED" "$LOCAL" "$REMOTE"
+       fi
+       check_unchanged
+}