Text Compare – Diff & Compare Two Texts Online
Compare two texts side-by-side and see differences highlighted instantly. Our free diff tool shows additions, deletions, and changes between documents—perfect for code reviews, document versioning, and content editing.
What Is Text Compare?
Text compare (diff) analyzes two text inputs and identifies what's different between them. It highlights additions, deletions, and modifications line-by-line or character-by-character, making it easy to spot exactly what changed.
Features
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Side-by-Side View | Compare texts in parallel columns |
| Inline Diff | See changes within lines highlighted |
| Line-by-Line | Compare entire lines |
| Character-Level | Detailed character differences |
| Ignore Whitespace | Option to skip space differences |
| Ignore Case | Option for case-insensitive compare |
How to Use This Tool
Step 1: Enter Original Text
Paste the first (original) version in the left panel.
Step 2: Enter Modified Text
Paste the second (modified) version in the right panel.
Step 3: Compare
Click Compare to see highlighted differences.
Step 4: Review Changes
- Green/+: Added content
- Red/-: Removed content
- Yellow: Modified content
Common Use Cases
Code Development
- Code reviews — Compare code versions
- Debugging — Find unintended changes
- Merge conflicts — Resolve differences
- Branch comparison — Compare feature branches
Document Editing
- Version control — Track document revisions
- Proofreading — Spot changes in drafts
- Contract review — Identify modifications
- Legal comparison — Compare document versions
Content Management
- Translation verification — Compare translations
- CMS updates — Track content changes
- SEO audits — Compare page versions
- A/B testing — Compare copy variants
Data Validation
- Database exports — Compare data dumps
- Config files — Find configuration changes
- Log analysis — Compare log outputs
- Migration testing — Verify data integrity
Understanding Diff Output
Line Types
| Symbol | Meaning | Color |
|---|---|---|
+ | Added line | Green |
- | Removed line | Red |
| (blank) | Unchanged | Default |
~ | Modified | Yellow |
Example Diff
Original:
Hello World
This is a test
Goodbye
Modified:
Hello World
This is a demo
Farewell
Diff Result:
Hello World
- This is a test
+ This is a demo
- Goodbye
+ Farewell
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between line and character diff?
Line diff treats each line as a unit—lines are either matching, added, or removed. Character diff goes deeper, highlighting exactly which characters changed within lines.
Can I compare binary files?
This tool is for text comparison only. Binary file comparison requires specialized tools.
How large of texts can I compare?
Handle thousands of lines easily. Very large files (100K+ lines) may slow browser performance.
Can I ignore whitespace differences?
Yes! Toggle "Ignore Whitespace" to skip differences in spaces, tabs, and blank lines.
How do I save the comparison?
Copy the diff output or take a screenshot. Some exports to common formats may be available.
Is this like Git diff?
Yes, same concept! Git diff compares file versions; this tool compares any two texts.
Tips for Effective Comparison
Prepare Your Text
- Remove unnecessary headers/footers
- Ensure consistent line endings
- Consider normalizing whitespace
- Trim trailing spaces
Interpret Results
- Start from the beginning
- Understand context around changes
- Group related changes mentally
- Look for patterns in modifications
Common Pitfalls
- Whitespace sensitivity — Invisible differences cause false positives
- Encoding issues — Different encodings may show everything as changed
- Line endings — Windows (CRLF) vs Unix (LF) causes issues
Diff Algorithms
Different algorithms for different needs:
| Algorithm | Best For |
|---|---|
| Myers | General text, code |
| Patience | Code with structure |
| Histogram | Large files |
| Word-level | Prose, documents |
Our tool uses an optimized algorithm suitable for most text comparison needs.
Pro Tips
- Normalize first — Match line endings before comparing
- Ignore noise — Use whitespace ignore when appropriate
- Review carefully — Diff highlights but humans verify
- Use for validation — Compare expected vs actual outputs
- Document changes — Save diffs for version history
Related Tools
Explore more text utilities:
- Find & Replace — Search and modify
- Line Counter — Count lines
- Character Counter — Text statistics
- Merge Tool — Combine texts
- Regex Tester — Pattern matching
Compare two texts above to see differences highlighted instantly. Perfect for code reviews, document versioning, and tracking changes.