Toolbox101 All tools

Dev Utilities

See what changed between two texts

Diff checker compares the text in the Original and Modified boxes and marks what changed. "Compare by" switches between lines, as git diff does, words and characters. In line mode, unchanged lines are plain, lines only in the Modified text are marked + on a green background, and lines only in the Original are marked - and struck through in red; the heading counts them, for example Difference (3 added, 2 removed). "Ignore case" and, for lines, "Ignore whitespace" skip noise. Developers use it to review edits to configs, error messages and log formats.

Open Diff Checker in the app Browse all tools

How to use Diff Checker

  1. Open Diff Checker in the Toolbox101 app.
  2. Paste the original text into the Original box.
  3. Paste the edited version into the Modified box.
  4. Pick Compare by (lines, words or characters), and tick Ignore case or Ignore whitespace (lines) if you want to skip those differences.
  5. Read the Difference area, which updates as you type, and click Copy to take it as text.

Worked example

Diff Checker returns the output below for this combination.

Original

name: toolbox101
version: 1.0
replicas: 2

Modified

name: toolbox101
version: 1.1
replicas: 3
enabled: true

Difference (3 added, 2 removed)

  name: toolbox101
- version: 1.0
- replicas: 2
+ version: 1.1
+ replicas: 3
+ enabled: true

In the app the + lines are on a green background and the - lines are struck through in red.

Check it yourself: open Diff Checker and enter the same input and key.

Frequently asked questions

What do the colors and markers mean?

Three states show: text in both inputs stays plain, text only in the Modified box is added (green, and a + in line mode), and text only in the Original box is removed (struck through in red, and a - in line mode). The heading above the result counts the added and removed lines, words or characters.

Which compare mode should I use?

Lines for files and configs, where you want to see which lines changed, the same view as git diff. Words for prose, where a changed sentence is clearer word by word. Characters for short strings, such as two versions of an ID or a hash, where one letter moved.

Which box should hold the original text?

Put the before version in Original and the after version in Modified. The diff reads from the first to the second, marking what was removed and what was added. Swapping the two boxes swaps the roles, so additions become removals.

What does the Copy button copy?

It copies the text of the Difference area without the colors. In line mode that includes the + and - markers, so you get a readable diff to paste into a ticket or chat. It is not a patch file that git apply would accept.

Use Diff Checker now

Open Diff Checker in the app

Runs in your browser. Nothing you type is uploaded.