Text Compare (Diff Checker)
This online text compare (diff checker) tool helps you compare two text snippets and highlight the differences side by side in your browser. Read more
Compare two texts online
This text comparison tool displays the original and modified text side by side and highlights inserted, deleted, and changed sections. Paste one version into each pane to review source code, configuration, prose, logs, or other plain text directly in your browser.
The comparison is character- and line-sensitive. Differences in capitalization, punctuation, spaces, tabs, and line endings may therefore appear even when two passages look similar at a glance.
How to use the diff checker
- Paste the earlier or reference version into the left pane.
- Paste the changed version into the right pane.
- Review the highlighted additions, deletions, and modified lines.
- Select a language to improve syntax highlighting for code or structured text.
The language setting changes editor highlighting; it does not parse, validate, execute, or reformat the compared content.
Reading text differences
A line diff is useful for locating structural changes, while inline highlights show which characters changed within a line. Large formatting-only changes can make meaningful edits harder to see, so normalize indentation or line endings first when those differences are not important.
For JSON or XML, consider formatting both documents consistently before comparison. If property or element order changes, a textual diff will report the reordered text even if an application interprets the data similarly.
Text compare FAQ
Can I compare source code?
Yes. Choose the closest language for syntax highlighting. The tool compares the text itself and does not understand whether two programs behave equivalently.
Why is an unchanged-looking line highlighted?
It may contain different spaces, tabs, capitalization, Unicode characters, or line endings. Copying text from documents and websites can also introduce invisible characters.
Is this the same as merging files?
No. A diff shows differences between two versions. It does not automatically combine changes or resolve conflicts from multiple editors.