diff --git a/kallithea/lib/diffs.py b/kallithea/lib/diffs.py
--- a/kallithea/lib/diffs.py
+++ b/kallithea/lib/diffs.py
@@ -327,49 +327,49 @@ class DiffProcessor(object):
             }
 
             if head['deleted_file_mode']:
-                op = 'D'
+                op = 'removed'
                 stats['binary'] = True
                 stats['ops'][DEL_FILENODE] = 'deleted file'
 
             elif head['new_file_mode']:
-                op = 'A'
+                op = 'added'
                 stats['binary'] = True
                 stats['ops'][NEW_FILENODE] = 'new file %s' % head['new_file_mode']
             else:  # modify operation, can be cp, rename, chmod
                 # CHMOD
                 if head['new_mode'] and head['old_mode']:
-                    op = 'M'
+                    op = 'modified'
                     stats['binary'] = True
                     stats['ops'][CHMOD_FILENODE] = ('modified file chmod %s => %s'
                                         % (head['old_mode'], head['new_mode']))
                 # RENAME
                 if (head['rename_from'] and head['rename_to']
                       and head['rename_from'] != head['rename_to']):
-                    op = 'R'
+                    op = 'renamed'
                     stats['binary'] = True
                     stats['ops'][RENAMED_FILENODE] = ('file renamed from %s to %s'
                                     % (head['rename_from'], head['rename_to']))
                 # COPY
                 if head.get('copy_from') and head.get('copy_to'):
-                    op = 'M'
+                    op = 'modified'
                     stats['binary'] = True
                     stats['ops'][COPIED_FILENODE] = ('file copied from %s to %s'
                                         % (head['copy_from'], head['copy_to']))
                 # FALL BACK: detect missed old style add or remove
                 if op is None:
                     if not head['a_file'] and head['b_file']:
-                        op = 'A'
+                        op = 'added'
                         stats['binary'] = True
                         stats['ops'][NEW_FILENODE] = 'new file'
 
                     elif head['a_file'] and not head['b_file']:
-                        op = 'D'
+                        op = 'removed'
                         stats['binary'] = True
                         stats['ops'][DEL_FILENODE] = 'deleted file'
 
                 # it's not ADD not DELETE
                 if op is None:
-                    op = 'M'
+                    op = 'modified'
                     stats['binary'] = True
                     stats['ops'][MOD_FILENODE] = 'modified file'
 
@@ -380,7 +380,7 @@ class DiffProcessor(object):
                 stats['added'] = added
                 stats['deleted'] = deleted
                 # explicit mark that it's a modified file
-                if op == 'M':
+                if op == 'modified':
                     stats['ops'][MOD_FILENODE] = 'modified file'
             else:  # Git binary patch (or empty diff)
                 # Git binary patch
@@ -388,7 +388,7 @@ class DiffProcessor(object):
                     stats['ops'][BIN_FILENODE] = 'binary diff not shown'
                 chunks = []
 
-            if op == 'D' and chunks:
+            if op == 'removed' and chunks:
                 # a way of seeing deleted content could perhaps be nice - but
                 # not with the current UI
                 chunks = []
diff --git a/kallithea/public/css/contextbar.css b/kallithea/public/css/contextbar.css
--- a/kallithea/public/css/contextbar.css
+++ b/kallithea/public/css/contextbar.css
@@ -11,29 +11,6 @@ i[class^='icon-'] {
   /* background-color: red; /* for debugging */
 }
 /* Note: class 'icon-empty' or 'icon-gravatar' can be used to get icon styling without an actual glyph */
-/* css classes for diff file status ... it'd be nice if css had a way to
-   inherit from another class but alas, we must make sure this content is the
-   same from the icon font file */
-.icon-diff-M:before {
-  font-family: 'kallithea';
-  content: '\22a1';
-  color: #d0b44c;
-}
-.icon-diff-D:before {
-  font-family: 'kallithea';
-  content: '\229f';
-  color: #bd2c00;
-}
-.icon-diff-A:before {
-  font-family: 'kallithea';
-  content: '\229e';
-  color: #6cc644;
-}
-.icon-diff-R:before {
-  font-family: 'kallithea';
-  content: '\e81f';
-  color: #677a85;
-}
 nav.navbar #quick a,
 #content #context-bar,
 #content #context-bar a {
diff --git a/kallithea/public/css/style.css b/kallithea/public/css/style.css
--- a/kallithea/public/css/style.css
+++ b/kallithea/public/css/style.css
@@ -1989,26 +1989,23 @@ BIN_FILENODE = 6
 .cs_files .changes .bin.bin5 {
   background-color: #6D99FF;
 }
-.cs_files .cs_added,
-.cs_files .cs_A {
+.cs_files .cs_added {
   height: 16px;
   margin-top: 7px;
   text-align: left;
 }
 .cs_files .cs_changed,
-.cs_files .cs_M {
+.cs_files .cs_modified {
   height: 16px;
   margin-top: 7px;
   text-align: left;
 }
-.cs_files .cs_removed,
-.cs_files .cs_D {
+.cs_files .cs_removed {
   height: 16px;
   margin-top: 7px;
   text-align: left;
 }
-.cs_files .cs_renamed,
-.cs_files .cs_R {
+.cs_files .cs_renamed {
   height: 16px;
   margin-top: 7px;
   text-align: left;
@@ -2174,6 +2171,19 @@ table.code-difftable .unmod .code pre:be
 .add-bubble div:hover {
   transform: scale(1.2, 1.2);
 }
+/* file diff icons */
+.icon-diff-modified:before {
+  color: #d0b44c;
+}
+.icon-diff-removed:before {
+  color: #bd2c00;
+}
+.icon-diff-added:before {
+  color: #6cc644;
+}
+.icon-diff-renamed:before {
+  color: #677a85;
+}
 /* show some context of link targets - but only works when the link target
    can be extended with any visual difference */
 div.comment:target:before {
diff --git a/kallithea/public/less/kallithea-diff.less b/kallithea/public/less/kallithea-diff.less
--- a/kallithea/public/less/kallithea-diff.less
+++ b/kallithea/public/less/kallithea-diff.less
@@ -54,26 +54,23 @@ BIN_FILENODE = 6
 .cs_files .changes .bin.bin5 {
   background-color: #6D99FF;
 }
-.cs_files .cs_added,
-.cs_files .cs_A {
+.cs_files .cs_added {
   height: 16px;
   margin-top: 7px;
   text-align: left;
 }
 .cs_files .cs_changed,
-.cs_files .cs_M {
+.cs_files .cs_modified {
   height: 16px;
   margin-top: 7px;
   text-align: left;
 }
-.cs_files .cs_removed,
-.cs_files .cs_D {
+.cs_files .cs_removed {
   height: 16px;
   margin-top: 7px;
   text-align: left;
 }
-.cs_files .cs_renamed,
-.cs_files .cs_R {
+.cs_files .cs_renamed {
   height: 16px;
   margin-top: 7px;
   text-align: left;
@@ -239,3 +236,17 @@ table.code-difftable .unmod .code pre:be
 .add-bubble div:hover {
   transform: scale(1.2, 1.2);
 }
+
+/* file diff icons */
+.icon-diff-modified:before {
+  color: #d0b44c;
+}
+.icon-diff-removed:before {
+  color: #bd2c00;
+}
+.icon-diff-added:before {
+  color: #6cc644;
+}
+.icon-diff-renamed:before {
+  color: #677a85;
+}
diff --git a/kallithea/tests/functional/test_compare_local.py b/kallithea/tests/functional/test_compare_local.py
--- a/kallithea/tests/functional/test_compare_local.py
+++ b/kallithea/tests/functional/test_compare_local.py
@@ -31,48 +31,48 @@ class TestCompareController(TestControll
         ## files diff
         response.mustcontain(
                    '''<span class="node">
-                          <i class="icon-diff-A"></i>
+                          <i class="icon-diff-added"></i>
                           <a href="#C--1c5cf9e91c12">docs/api/utils/index.rst</a>
                       </span>''')
         response.mustcontain(
                    '''<span class="node">
-                          <i class="icon-diff-A"></i>
+                          <i class="icon-diff-added"></i>
                           <a href="#C--e3305437df55">test_and_report.sh</a>''')
         response.mustcontain(
                    '''<span class="node">
-                          <i class="icon-diff-M"></i>
+                          <i class="icon-diff-modified"></i>
                           <a href="#C--c8e92ef85cd1">.hgignore</a>''')
         response.mustcontain(
                    '''<span class="node">
-                          <i class="icon-diff-M"></i>
+                          <i class="icon-diff-modified"></i>
                           <a href="#C--6e08b694d687">.hgtags</a>''')
         response.mustcontain(
                    '''<span class="node">
-                          <i class="icon-diff-M"></i>
+                          <i class="icon-diff-modified"></i>
                           <a href="#C--2c14b00f3393">docs/api/index.rst</a>''')
         response.mustcontain(
                    '''<span class="node">
-                          <i class="icon-diff-M"></i>
+                          <i class="icon-diff-modified"></i>
                           <a href="#C--430ccbc82bdf">vcs/__init__.py</a>''')
         response.mustcontain(
                    '''<span class="node">
-                          <i class="icon-diff-M"></i>
+                          <i class="icon-diff-modified"></i>
                           <a href="#C--9c390eb52cd6">vcs/backends/hg.py</a>''')
         response.mustcontain(
                    '''<span class="node">
-                          <i class="icon-diff-M"></i>
+                          <i class="icon-diff-modified"></i>
                           <a href="#C--ebb592c595c0">vcs/utils/__init__.py</a>''')
         response.mustcontain(
                    '''<span class="node">
-                          <i class="icon-diff-M"></i>
+                          <i class="icon-diff-modified"></i>
                           <a href="#C--7abc741b5052">vcs/utils/annotate.py</a>''')
         response.mustcontain(
                    '''<span class="node">
-                          <i class="icon-diff-M"></i>
+                          <i class="icon-diff-modified"></i>
                           <a href="#C--2ef0ef106c56">vcs/utils/diffs.py</a>''')
         response.mustcontain(
                    '''<span class="node">
-                          <i class="icon-diff-M"></i>
+                          <i class="icon-diff-modified"></i>
                           <a href="#C--3150cb87d4b7">vcs/utils/lazy.py</a>''')
 
     def test_compare_tag_git(self):
diff --git a/kallithea/tests/models/test_diff_parsers.py b/kallithea/tests/models/test_diff_parsers.py
--- a/kallithea/tests/models/test_diff_parsers.py
+++ b/kallithea/tests/models/test_diff_parsers.py
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ fixture = Fixture()
 
 DIFF_FIXTURES = {
     'hg_diff_add_single_binary_file.diff': [
-        ('US Warszawa.jpg', 'A',
+        ('US Warszawa.jpg', 'added',
          {'added': 0,
           'deleted': 0,
           'binary': True,
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ DIFF_FIXTURES = {
                   BIN_FILENODE: 'binary diff not shown'}}),
     ],
     'hg_diff_mod_single_binary_file.diff': [
-        ('US Warszawa.jpg', 'M',
+        ('US Warszawa.jpg', 'modified',
          {'added': 0,
           'deleted': 0,
           'binary': True,
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ DIFF_FIXTURES = {
     ],
 
     'hg_diff_mod_single_file_and_rename_and_chmod.diff': [
-        ('README', 'R',
+        ('README', 'renamed',
          {'added': 3,
           'deleted': 0,
           'binary': False,
@@ -33,14 +33,14 @@ DIFF_FIXTURES = {
                   CHMOD_FILENODE: 'modified file chmod 100755 => 100644'}}),
     ],
     'hg_diff_mod_file_and_rename.diff': [
-        ('README.rst', 'R',
+        ('README.rst', 'renamed',
          {'added': 3,
           'deleted': 0,
           'binary': False,
           'ops': {RENAMED_FILENODE: 'file renamed from README to README.rst'}}),
     ],
     'hg_diff_del_single_binary_file.diff': [
-        ('US Warszawa.jpg', 'D',
+        ('US Warszawa.jpg', 'removed',
          {'added': 0,
           'deleted': 0,
           'binary': True,
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ DIFF_FIXTURES = {
                   BIN_FILENODE: 'binary diff not shown'}}),
     ],
     'hg_diff_chmod_and_mod_single_binary_file.diff': [
-        ('gravatar.png', 'M',
+        ('gravatar.png', 'modified',
          {'added': 0,
           'deleted': 0,
           'binary': True,
@@ -56,21 +56,21 @@ DIFF_FIXTURES = {
                   BIN_FILENODE: 'binary diff not shown'}}),
     ],
     'hg_diff_chmod.diff': [
-        ('file', 'M',
+        ('file', 'modified',
          {'added': 0,
           'deleted': 0,
           'binary': True,
           'ops': {CHMOD_FILENODE: 'modified file chmod 100755 => 100644'}}),
     ],
     'hg_diff_rename_file.diff': [
-        ('file_renamed', 'R',
+        ('file_renamed', 'renamed',
          {'added': 0,
           'deleted': 0,
           'binary': True,
           'ops': {RENAMED_FILENODE: 'file renamed from file to file_renamed'}}),
     ],
     'hg_diff_rename_and_chmod_file.diff': [
-        ('README', 'R',
+        ('README', 'renamed',
          {'added': 0,
           'deleted': 0,
           'binary': True,
@@ -78,64 +78,64 @@ DIFF_FIXTURES = {
                   RENAMED_FILENODE: 'file renamed from README.rst to README'}}),
     ],
     'hg_diff_binary_and_normal.diff': [
-        ('img/baseline-10px.png', 'A',
+        ('img/baseline-10px.png', 'added',
          {'added': 0,
           'deleted': 0,
           'binary': True,
           'ops': {NEW_FILENODE: 'new file 100644',
                   BIN_FILENODE: 'binary diff not shown'}}),
-        ('img/baseline-20px.png', 'D',
+        ('img/baseline-20px.png', 'removed',
          {'added': 0,
           'deleted': 0,
           'binary': True,
           'ops': {DEL_FILENODE: 'deleted file',
                   BIN_FILENODE: 'binary diff not shown'}}),
-        ('index.html', 'M',
+        ('index.html', 'modified',
          {'added': 3,
           'deleted': 2,
           'binary': False,
           'ops': {MOD_FILENODE: 'modified file'}}),
-        ('js/global.js', 'D',
+        ('js/global.js', 'removed',
          {'added': 0,
           'deleted': 75,
           'binary': False,
           'ops': {DEL_FILENODE: 'deleted file'}}),
-        ('js/jquery/hashgrid.js', 'A',
+        ('js/jquery/hashgrid.js', 'added',
          {'added': 340,
           'deleted': 0,
           'binary': False,
           'ops': {NEW_FILENODE: 'new file 100755'}}),
-        ('less/docs.less', 'M',
+        ('less/docs.less', 'modified',
          {'added': 34,
           'deleted': 0,
           'binary': False,
           'ops': {MOD_FILENODE: 'modified file'}}),
-        ('less/scaffolding.less', 'M',
+        ('less/scaffolding.less', 'modified',
          {'added': 1,
           'deleted': 3,
           'binary': False,
           'ops': {MOD_FILENODE: 'modified file'}}),
-        ('readme.markdown', 'M',
+        ('readme.markdown', 'modified',
          {'added': 1,
           'deleted': 10,
           'binary': False,
           'ops': {MOD_FILENODE: 'modified file'}}),
     ],
     'git_diff_chmod.diff': [
-        ('work-horus.xls', 'M',
+        ('work-horus.xls', 'modified',
          {'added': 0,
           'deleted': 0,
           'binary': True,
           'ops': {CHMOD_FILENODE: 'modified file chmod 100644 => 100755'}})
     ],
     'git_diff_rename_file.diff': [
-        ('file.xls', 'R',
+        ('file.xls', 'renamed',
          {'added': 0,
           'deleted': 0,
           'binary': True,
           'ops': {RENAMED_FILENODE: 'file renamed from work-horus.xls to file.xls'}}),
         ('files/var/www/favicon.ico/DEFAULT',
-         'R',
+         'renamed',
          {'added': 0,
           'binary': True,
           'deleted': 0,
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ DIFF_FIXTURES = {
                   6: 'modified file chmod 100644 => 100755'}})
     ],
     'git_diff_mod_single_binary_file.diff': [
-        ('US Warszawa.jpg', 'M',
+        ('US Warszawa.jpg', 'modified',
          {'added': 0,
           'deleted': 0,
           'binary': True,
@@ -151,78 +151,78 @@ DIFF_FIXTURES = {
                   BIN_FILENODE: 'binary diff not shown'}})
     ],
     'git_diff_binary_and_normal.diff': [
-        ('img/baseline-10px.png', 'A',
+        ('img/baseline-10px.png', 'added',
          {'added': 0,
           'deleted': 0,
           'binary': True,
           'ops': {NEW_FILENODE: 'new file 100644',
                   BIN_FILENODE: 'binary diff not shown'}}),
-        ('img/baseline-20px.png', 'D',
+        ('img/baseline-20px.png', 'removed',
          {'added': 0,
           'deleted': 0,
           'binary': True,
           'ops': {DEL_FILENODE: 'deleted file',
                   BIN_FILENODE: 'binary diff not shown'}}),
-        ('index.html', 'M',
+        ('index.html', 'modified',
          {'added': 3,
           'deleted': 2,
           'binary': False,
           'ops': {MOD_FILENODE: 'modified file'}}),
-        ('js/global.js', 'D',
+        ('js/global.js', 'removed',
          {'added': 0,
           'deleted': 75,
           'binary': False,
           'ops': {DEL_FILENODE: 'deleted file'}}),
-        ('js/jquery/hashgrid.js', 'A',
+        ('js/jquery/hashgrid.js', 'added',
          {'added': 340,
           'deleted': 0,
           'binary': False,
           'ops': {NEW_FILENODE: 'new file 100755'}}),
-        ('less/docs.less', 'M',
+        ('less/docs.less', 'modified',
          {'added': 34,
           'deleted': 0,
           'binary': False,
           'ops': {MOD_FILENODE: 'modified file'}}),
-        ('less/scaffolding.less', 'M',
+        ('less/scaffolding.less', 'modified',
          {'added': 1,
           'deleted': 3,
           'binary': False,
           'ops': {MOD_FILENODE: 'modified file'}}),
-        ('readme.markdown', 'M',
+        ('readme.markdown', 'modified',
          {'added': 1,
           'deleted': 10,
           'binary': False,
           'ops': {MOD_FILENODE: 'modified file'}}),
     ],
     'diff_with_diff_data.diff': [
-        ('vcs/backends/base.py', 'M',
+        ('vcs/backends/base.py', 'modified',
          {'added': 18,
           'deleted': 2,
           'binary': False,
           'ops': {MOD_FILENODE: 'modified file'}}),
-        ('vcs/backends/git/repository.py', 'M',
+        ('vcs/backends/git/repository.py', 'modified',
          {'added': 46,
           'deleted': 15,
           'binary': False,
           'ops': {MOD_FILENODE: 'modified file'}}),
-        ('vcs/backends/hg.py', 'M',
+        ('vcs/backends/hg.py', 'modified',
          {'added': 22,
           'deleted': 3,
           'binary': False,
           'ops': {MOD_FILENODE: 'modified file'}}),
-        ('vcs/tests/test_git.py', 'M',
+        ('vcs/tests/test_git.py', 'modified',
          {'added': 5,
           'deleted': 5,
           'binary': False,
           'ops': {MOD_FILENODE: 'modified file'}}),
-        ('vcs/tests/test_repository.py', 'M',
+        ('vcs/tests/test_repository.py', 'modified',
          {'added': 174,
           'deleted': 2,
           'binary': False,
           'ops': {MOD_FILENODE: 'modified file'}}),
     ],
     'git_diff_modify_binary_file.diff': [
-        ('file.name', 'M',
+        ('file.name', 'modified',
          {'added': 0,
           'deleted': 0,
           'binary': True,
@@ -230,14 +230,14 @@ DIFF_FIXTURES = {
                   BIN_FILENODE: 'binary diff not shown'}})
     ],
     'hg_diff_copy_file.diff': [
-        ('file2', 'M',
+        ('file2', 'modified',
          {'added': 0,
           'deleted': 0,
           'binary': True,
           'ops': {COPIED_FILENODE: 'file copied from file1 to file2'}}),
     ],
     'hg_diff_copy_and_modify_file.diff': [
-        ('file3', 'M',
+        ('file3', 'modified',
          {'added': 1,
           'deleted': 0,
           'binary': False,
@@ -245,7 +245,7 @@ DIFF_FIXTURES = {
                   MOD_FILENODE: 'modified file'}}),
     ],
     'hg_diff_copy_and_chmod_file.diff': [
-        ('file4', 'M',
+        ('file4', 'modified',
          {'added': 0,
           'deleted': 0,
           'binary': True,
@@ -253,7 +253,7 @@ DIFF_FIXTURES = {
                   CHMOD_FILENODE: 'modified file chmod 100644 => 100755'}}),
     ],
     'hg_diff_copy_chmod_and_edit_file.diff': [
-        ('file5', 'M',
+        ('file5', 'modified',
          {'added': 2,
           'deleted': 1,
           'binary': False,
@@ -262,7 +262,7 @@ DIFF_FIXTURES = {
                   MOD_FILENODE: 'modified file'}}),
     ],
     'hg_diff_rename_space_cr.diff': [
-        ('oh yes', 'R',
+        ('oh yes', 'renamed',
          {'added': 3,
           'deleted': 2,
           'binary': False,