SOURCE

Vue.prototype._update = function (vnode: VNode, hydrating?: boolean) {
    const vm: Component = this
    if (vm._isMounted) {
      callHook(vm, 'beforeUpdate')
    }
    const prevEl = vm.$el
    const prevVnode = vm._vnode
    const prevActiveInstance = activeInstance
    activeInstance = vm
    // 新的vnode
    vm._vnode = vnode
    // Vue.prototype.__patch__ is injected in entry points
    // based on the rendering backend used.
    // 如果需要diff的prevVnode不存在，那么就用新的vnode创建一个真实dom节点
    if (!prevVnode) {
      // initial render
      // 第一个参数为真实的node节点
      vm.$el = vm.__patch__(
        vm.$el, vnode, hydrating, false /* removeOnly */,
        vm.$options._parentElm,
        vm.$options._refElm
      )
    } else {
      // updates
      // 如果需要diff的prevVnode存在，那么首先对prevVnode和vnode进行diff,并将需要的更新的dom操作已patch的形式打到prevVnode上，并完成真实dom的更新工作
      vm.$el = vm.__patch__(prevVnode, vnode)
    }
    activeInstance = prevActiveInstance
    // update __vue__ reference
    if (prevEl) {
      prevEl.__vue__ = null
    }
    if (vm.$el) {
      vm.$el.__vue__ = vm
    }
    // if parent is an HOC, update its $el as well
    if (vm.$vnode && vm.$parent && vm.$vnode === vm.$parent._vnode) {
      vm.$parent.$el = vm.$el
    }
}