utilobox
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Text compare (diff)

Paste an original and a changed text to see exactly what was added, removed or edited. Differences are highlighted as you type.

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Differences

The comparison runs in your browser and nothing is uploaded. Copy result gives a plain-text version: lines start with "-" (removed) or "+" (added) when comparing by lines, and changes appear as [-removed-] and {+added+} when comparing by words or characters.

How to use it

  1. Paste the original text on the left and the changed text on the right.
  2. Choose whether to compare by lines, words or characters.
  3. Pick a side-by-side or inline view, and tick the options to ignore case or spaces if needed.
  4. Read the highlighted changes and the counts, then copy the result if you need it.

What it does

  • Lines, words or characters

    Compare line by line for documents and code, word by word for prose, or character by character to spot a single typo.

  • Side by side or inline

    See both texts in two columns with line numbers, or read one merged view where removals and additions sit together.

  • Highlights inside changed lines

    When a line is edited, the exact words that changed are marked within it, not just the whole line.

  • Ignore case and spaces

    Switch on the options to skip differences in capital letters or in spacing and indentation.

  • Counts and similarity

    Removed, added and unchanged items are counted, with a similarity percentage for the two texts.

  • Swap and copy

    Swap the two texts with one click, and copy the result as plain text with markers for each change.

Good to know

A text diff answers the question "what changed between these two versions?" It is useful when you edit a contract draft, check a translation against its source, review a configuration file, or compare two versions of an essay. The comparison uses the longest-common-sequence approach found in version control tools, so unchanged parts stay aligned and only real differences are marked. Long runs of unchanged lines are folded, and a click on the fold shows them again.

Pick the unit that matches your task. Line mode is quickest for lists, code and structured text, and it highlights the words that changed inside each edited line. Word mode follows sentence edits, and character mode catches a single swapped letter. If two texts are almost entirely different, the tool says so and shows the changed section as one replacement instead of a confusing jumble. Everything runs in your browser, so private drafts stay on your device.

Questions and answers

How do I compare two texts online?

Paste one text into each box. The differences appear below straight away: removed parts in red and added parts in green.

What is the difference between comparing by lines, words and characters?

Lines show which whole lines changed, words show which words were added or removed in running text, and characters show tiny edits such as a single typo.

Can I ignore capital letters or extra spaces?

Yes. Tick "Ignore upper/lower case" or "Ignore spaces", and differences that come only from capitals or whitespace are no longer marked.

What do the Removed and Added numbers mean?

They count the lines, words or characters (depending on the mode) that exist only in the original or only in the changed text.

Can I compare large texts?

Yes, texts with thousands of lines work well. If the two texts are very different, the tool shows the changed part as a single replacement to keep the page responsive.

Is my text sent to a server?

No. The comparison is done in your browser, and neither text is uploaded.

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