Text Diff & Compare

What is Text Diff & Compare?

Text diff (difference) is a powerful tool that compares two text documents and highlights the differences between them. It shows which lines have been added, removed, or remain unchanged, making it easy to track changes in code, configuration files, documentation, and any text-based content. Our diff tool uses a line-by-line comparison algorithm to identify changes, displaying additions in green, deletions in red, and unchanged lines in standard text. This is the same concept used by version control systems like Git, making it an essential tool for developers, writers, editors, and anyone who needs to compare text documents.

How to Use This Free Text Diff Tool

Using our text comparison tool is simple: paste your original text into the left box and the modified version into the right box, then click "Compare Texts" to see the differences. Green lines with a "+" prefix indicate text that was added in the modified version. Red lines with a "-" prefix show text that was removed. Gray lines without a prefix represent text that remained unchanged. The statistics panel shows the total count of additions, deletions, and unchanged lines. Use the "Swap Texts" button to reverse the original and modified versions if needed. All processing happens instantly in your browser, ensuring your documents remain completely private.

Common Use Cases for Text Diff

• Code Review: Compare different versions of source code to see what changed
• Document Comparison: Track changes in contracts, articles, or documentation
• Configuration Files: Identify differences between config files across environments
• Content Editing: Review edits and revisions made to text documents
• Debugging: Compare program outputs or log files to find differences
• Translation Review: Compare original and translated text to verify accuracy
• Data Validation: Compare datasets or reports to identify discrepancies
• Version Control: Understand changes before committing to Git or other VCS

Understanding the Diff Output

Our diff tool uses color coding to make differences easy to spot:

• Green lines (+ prefix): Content added in the modified version
• Red lines (- prefix): Content removed from the original version
• Gray lines (no prefix): Content that exists in both versions unchanged

The diff algorithm compares texts line by line, so even a small change within a line will show the entire line as changed (one deletion and one addition). This is intentional and helps you see the complete context of what changed.

Why Use Our Text Diff Tool?

• 100% Free: No registration, unlimited comparisons, completely free forever
• Privacy Protected: All comparison happens in your browser - your text never leaves your device
• Instant Results: Real-time diff calculation with no server delays
• Side-by-Side View: Input boxes positioned side-by-side for easy comparison while typing
• Color-Coded Output: Clear visual distinction between additions, deletions, and unchanged text
• Statistics Display: See counts of added, removed, and unchanged lines at a glance
• Large File Support: Compare large text files that other tools struggle with
• Mobile Compatible: Works on all devices including smartphones and tablets

Tips for Effective Text Comparison

• Ensure both texts use consistent line endings (LF or CRLF) for accurate comparison
• Remove trailing whitespace if you don't want whitespace-only changes to show as differences
• For code comparison, ensure both versions use the same indentation style
• Use the "Swap" button to view changes from different perspectives
• Consider normalizing formatting before comparison to reduce noise in the diff

Frequently Asked Questions