Compare Code Online

Introduction to Code Comparison

Why do we compare anything? Have you ever thought about it? Things compare mainly to judge their similarities or differences based on which an accurate decision can take. It is also the prime purpose behind code comparison & by comparing two or more codes and taking details of their quality such as differences or similarities etc. But now the question is, what is the code comparison? When two source code files compare, it is a code comparison, which has two purposes:

• To acknowledge the formation of codes
• To find out & show its similarities & dissimilarities.

Comparing similar files between the two versions is a daunting task. Because sometimes, there are so many minor changes in them that are beyond the reach of any human being. Plus, doing this work manually also consumes a lot of time where even 100% output expecting to be negligible. But the end of all these problems is possible through code comparison. Code compare tools are the best tools through which it becomes uncomplicated to compare two files and folders. These files can be anything like text files, XML, JSON, source codes, strings, or any other binary files. It recognizes by the code similarity checker tool & shows you the results, differences, similarities, or differences between two files or folders. These tools can use with the help of the following steps:

How to use the code comparison tool?

• First of all, open any code comparison tool.
• Now, paste the first code or text file in its first or left column & paste the second code or text file i.e. with which you want to compare in the second or right column. 
• Between two columns, you find an arrow sign that allows you to link two columns with each other or to make parallel movements of two columns with each other while scrolling. For this, you click on the arrow.
•  If there is any difference between any lines of two codes or text files, it will get highlighted.
• Save options are also present in the tools, where you can also save files for further uses.

Above are the basic steps for comparing code or text in any tool, although some may take longer steps because of extra features, while some can accomplish this task in less time because they are automatic.

After knowing the steps, let's see the 15 best tools for doing things like code or text comparisons in a pinch. They are as follows:

Step by Step Guide to Use our Compare Code Online

Here are the steps to use the "Compare Code Online" tool:

Step 1: Open the "Compare Code Online" tool in your web browser.

Step 2: Upon opening the tool, you will see a web page with various sections and options for comparing your code.

Step 3: Start with the "Output format" section at the top of the page:

• Step 3.1: Choose the desired output format for code comparison by clicking on the dropdown menu. You can select "Line by line" or "Side by side." The default setting is "Side by side."

Step 4: Continue with the "Sync Scroll" section:

• Step 4.1: Decide whether you want to sync the scrolling of both code panes. You can check or uncheck the "Sync scroll" checkbox.

Step 5: Move on to the "Matching type" section:

• Step 5.1: Select the matching type for code comparison from the dropdown menu. You can choose from "Lines," "Words," or "None." This determines how the tool will compare the code for differences.

Step 6: Adjust the "Context lines" setting:

• Step 6.1: Specify the number of context lines you want to display around the differences. You can change the value in the "Context lines" input field. The default is 3.

Step 7: Configure the "Word threshold" setting:

• Step 7.1: Set a word threshold for word-level comparison. You can change the threshold by adjusting the "Word threshold" input field value. The default is 0.25 (represented as a decimal percentage).

Step 8: Define the "Max comparisons" limit:

• Step 8.1: Specify the maximum number of comparisons to display by entering a value in the "Max comparisons" input field. The default is 2500.

Step 9: Input the "Original Code":

• Step 9.1: In the left-hand column, locate the "Original Code" textarea.
• Step 9.2: Paste or write your original code in this textarea. This represents the reference code for comparison.

Step 10: Input the "Modified Code":

• Step 10.1: In the right-hand column, locate the "Modified Code" textarea.
• Step 10.2: Paste or write the modified code in this textarea. This represents the code version you want to compare with the original code.

Step 11: Scroll down to view the comparison results:

• Step 11.1: The tool will display the differences between the original and modified code in a side-by-side view.

Step 12: Review the differences:

• Step 12.1: Differences between the original and modified code will be highlighted. Lines that were added will be in green with a plus sign, and lines that were deleted will be in red with a minus sign.

Step 13: Navigate through the differences:

• Step 13.1: You can navigate through the code differences using the tool's scrollbars or other navigation controls.

Step 14: Check the summary:

• Step 14.1: The tool summarizes the changes, indicating whether lines were added, deleted, or moved.

These steps will let you use our "Compare Code Online" tool to compare two lines of code and find line or word differences. This tool aids code review and collaboration, especially when comparing code versions for modifications.

15 best code comparison tools

Compare Code Online by Commontools.org

This is one of the best online code comparison tools. There are two panels on both sides where the differences display after pasting the code. Use this online code comparison tool to find the difference between two programming files. This online tool is straightforward and free to use. It also has various options to play around with.

DiffMerge

We can define it as a helpful tool for code or text comparison because of its powerful features. This software compares files with provides a merging facility on various platforms such as Windows, Mac, and Linux. Changes or modifications to the files are detected by graphically rendering. It also has options like intra-line highlighting and editing. In addition, the merging between two files is graphically visualized. It is capable of merging files automatically. DiffMerge compares two files side by side, and all changes in the display are present in one file. 

AptDiff

This is public domain software. That's why now discontinued, but it can download from third-party websites. It compares the text of two files and highlights the similarities or differences. It downloads effortlessly and compares files and codes without any problems. Its features allow you to backup files customize the font of the UI and support multiple languages, etc.

Diffuse

Diffuse is an uncomplicated yet influential graphical tool that allows you to merge files apart from comparing text or code. Here you can compare orderless files at your convenience, which is possible with a line matching option, which is adjustable, plus you can edit the files directly. It supports various VCS like Bazaar, CVS, Darcs, Git, Mercurial, Monotone, RCS, and Subversion & SVK. Additionally, it supports Unicode & has unlimited undo facilities. 

ExamDiff

When it comes to a simple & freeware code or text comparison tool, ExamDiff is considerable because it quickly detects differences in files and displays the output where you find your job easier. It lets you compare files of two different versions of the same document, where you can mark the difference. ExamDiff is capable of contrasting; directories and binary files and merging files. During the comparison, you do not need to mention the names of two files; it is enough to enter the name of the directories that contain that file. The auto pick feature facilitates the matching of files by automatically deducting changes by which users can re-compare their files. Selecting two files to compare or adding one or two files in the program window by drag or drop option and editing both the files, all the features are available with DiffUse.

Workshare Compare

It is an advanced-level tool that compares enterprise-level documents & the documents can be any type like Words or text-based PDFs. Under this, one file can compare with multiple files. It supports browsers, mobile phones, and PC, which gives fast and accurate results where you can experience even the small changes. This tool allows you to compare text or code & here, tables, images, or content are also comparable. 

WinMerge

This is a code and text comparison tool for windows, which can compare both files and folders, and you can easily capture the differences found by this tool. WinMerge includes many helpful supporting features like comparing, synchronizing, and merging. It can run on Microsoft Windows, XP SP3, Unicode & handles Windows, Unix, and Mac text file formats. Plus, it provides you the facility to compare tables and images & create patch files & resolve file conflicts also.

KDiff3

Like WinMerge, KDiff 3 is also an open source file comparing and merging tool for Windows and Linux. Here you experience comparing 3 files at the same time. It shows a prompt where you can upload the files you want to make changes. These three files are displayed next to each other on the interface. All you have to do is scroll through them one by one. Similarly, it merges 2 to 3 files together, and you get the result line by line and character by character. It has an automatic merge option & an inbuilt editor option that resolves merge conflicts. It also supports codecs such as UTF-8 and Unicode; and KIO on KDE, where you can access fish, smb, sftp, FTP, and more. You can also print differences of it, align lines manually, and merge version control history automatically.

 Meld

It's a free text comparison and merges tool that allows you to compare files alongside performing in-place editing. It has specially designed for developers. You can compare files & directories by going to the visual Diff and merge tool. Under this software, it is possible to compare files or directories in 2 or 3 ways. A fact about Meld is that it helps you find out what's happening under the merge. It is easy to find differences or conflicts, and it displays any differences, whether global or local, by inserting, changing, or marking disputes. You can ignore unnecessary differences by using built-in regex text filtering & has the option for syntax highlighting.

TkDiff

You can also find the difference between two files with tkDiff. Supporting Linux, Windows, and Mac OX S, this software shows the output of both the files side by side. The best feature of this tool is that it is easy to use for both a professional and an unprofessional. It comes with a simple interface with a simple design where you can select files to compare using a file browser. Syntax highlighted features make it easy to spot differences in files & mark them in blue and all results display on a dual-pane window. You can find here that line numbers bypass the white spaces, synchronizes scrollbars, and can go the first, previous, last, or next difference. It can handle multiple data in one go through the available search feature. Additionally, it has all the necessary features like bookmarks, a graphical map for pointing out the comparisons easily and quickly, and much more.

XXDiff

A free file and directories comparison tool that supports Unix-like operating systems such as Linux, Solaris, HP/UX, IRIX, DEC Tru64, named XXDiff. But cannot supports Unicode files & inline editing of diff files. If we talk about the features, it is possible to compare 2 to 3 files and compare 2 directories. Moreover, all the outputs highlight horizontally & save merged files results for further use. It can support external diff tools such as GNU diff, SIG diff, Cleareddiff, and many more, giving the option to the extent of the script. 

Diff Doc

It is a simple code or file comparison tool where text comparison is so easy that you get 100% results. It is also easy to use and handle. You can upload your file, it is a Word, PowerPoint, Excel, word pad, note pad, or pdf available on anyone, with comparison files and finds differences by clicking the refresh button & hand in hand you get the results. It gives you a detailed explanation of which texts have been changed exactly. You can compare these files in a single file or view them in the side-by-side display.

Text Compare

This is also a free text comparison tool, and for this, you do not need to download any software. According to capability, it can compare files like word documents, images, pdf, spreadsheets, etc., with plain files. As you paste it into Word or PDF documents, the text comparison displays the differences or indifferences between the files. Still, it cannot support all kinds of documents. This software runs on Windows, Linux, and Mac operating systems. Its features are inline diff mode, dark/high-contrast theme supporter, word wrapping, and allow formatting of various programming languages. This tool can change statistics which you can mark line by line. It does not require installation and runs on all modern browsers. 

Beyond Compare Version 3

It is the best and most intelligent technology to compare code or text files & folders. It is easy to use, but its commands are sometimes strong; that highlights the difference. Like other text comparison tools, this tool also performs merge changes, synchronizes files, and generates product reports. It is relevant on some platforms like Windows, Mac, and Linux, where you can compare different data.

Diffchecker

This is also an online file comparison tool that is easy to use. There are two panels on both sides where the differences display after pasting the text. It also saves these differences, which you can share on other platforms as well. This tool is free, or you can also try its paid desktop app, which supports Windows, Linux, and Mac operating systems. It saves you time because, with the help of this, you can text or code comparisons online.

Litera Compare

When it comes to multiple file comparison, they can also consider the name of Litera Compare. It does an accurate comparison of files and directories, that too, in a few minutes. It can compare two versions of text or files such as PDF, PPT, and spreadsheet. If we talk about its features, it is Integrated Workflow, where you can save text files or highlighted snippets at home in Outlook or directly in Word, PDF, Excel, or PPT. Its layout is easy to understand, and you can quickly catch the differences. See Streamline review to eliminate manual comparisons and version creations and save all changes & once compared; you can accept, reject or flag it for later viewing.

The Bottom Line

Comparing the text or codes of two different versions has always been challenging and daunting work. Yes, this work can do manually, but we all understand how accurate it will perform or how difficult it will be to capture its nuances. Fortunately, we have text & code comparison tools by which we can observe the differences & similarities & make a decision. Code or text comparisons tool is helpful for any profession like content writers, developers, teachers & professors, etc.