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Text Compare

Place two versions of a text on the left and right, then see which lines were added, removed, or rewritten. It works for drafts, config snippets, log output, contract clauses, translations, and pasted code; the input does not need to be JSON or a file. Differences are highlighted live in the editors, small word-level edits are called out inside the line, unchanged stretches can be collapsed, and everything runs locally in your browser.

  • Shows the older and newer text in two aligned panes so changes are easy to scan
  • Switches between split view and unified view for short text, long files, and narrow screens
  • Highlights changed lines and marks the words that actually changed inside a line
  • Collapses long unchanged sections and jumps between differences
  • Keeps drafts, logs, contracts, and private snippets in the current browser session
tools/Text Compare
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Paste text into both sides to start comparing.
Paste text into both sides to start comparing.
Compare commands

Overview

This tool does one job: make the difference between two plain-text blocks easy to read. Paste both versions and inspect the change without preparing files or running a command.

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    Split view

    The older version sits on the left and the newer one on the right, with lines aligned for review and proofreading.

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    Unified view

    Additions and removals are shown in one editor, more like a patch view, which is easier for long text or narrow screens.

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    Inline highlights

    When only a few words changed inside a line, the tool marks the real edit instead of making the whole line look rewritten.

  4. 04

    Collapsed unchanged text

    Repeated identical sections fold away with a little context, so the important changes stay visible.

  5. 05

    Change navigation

    Previous and next step through each difference in order, which is steadier than hunting through a long scroll.

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    Edit in place

    Both panes are editable. Fix a typo, replace a paragraph, or adjust one side and the diff updates immediately.

  7. 07

    Line numbers and swap

    Turn on line numbers when you need to reference a location; swap the inputs if you pasted the versions on the wrong side.

  8. 08

    Local processing

    Alignment, highlighting, folding, and counts happen in the browser. The text is not sent to a server.

How to use

Paste the old and new versions, read the highlighted result, then adjust the view or edit in place when needed.

  1. 01

    Paste the original or earlier version on the left.

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    Paste the changed or newer version on the right.

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    Read the highlights: red marks text removed or changed from the old version, green marks text added or changed in the new version.

  4. 04

    For long text, keep unchanged sections collapsed and use previous and next to review every difference.

  5. 05

    Edit either side when you need to test a fix; use swap if the direction is wrong, or clear both sides to start over.

Details

Different views suit different kinds of review. Pick the view that makes the change easiest to read.

  • Split view is best for proofreading two versions side by side.
  • Unified view is compact and works well for long logs, long documents, and smaller screens.
  • Word-level highlighting points to the exact words that changed inside an edited line.
  • Collapsed unchanged text cuts noise so identical sections do not fill the screen.
  • Previous and next help you review changes in order without missing one.
  • Line numbers make it easier to discuss a specific location with someone else.
  • Editing in place lets you fix and verify a difference immediately.
  • Swap quickly corrects the left-right order when the versions were pasted backwards.

Use cases

Text comparison is most useful when two blocks look almost the same and you need the real edit to stand out.

  1. Proofread two drafts

    Compare an edited draft with the original to confirm intended changes landed and no extra edits slipped in.

  2. Review copy edits

    See exactly which sentences changed in a page, email, announcement, or product note before publishing.

  3. Compare config snippets

    Check two config blocks, environment files, or exported settings to find the line that changed behaviour.

  4. Inspect log differences

    Compare logs from a passing and failing run to spot lines that appeared, vanished, or changed.

  5. Check code snippets

    Compare two pasted functions, SQL snippets, or command blocks when a full review tool is not necessary.

  6. Verify contract clauses

    Place old and new clauses side by side before approval so wording changes are not missed.

  7. Audit translations

    Compare an updated translation with the previous version to confirm only the intended strings changed.

  8. Confirm paste integrity

    Compare content before and after it passes through a form, terminal, or chat tool to make sure it was not altered or truncated.

See also

A diff is easier to trust when the inputs are tidy. Use Text Cleaner to remove extra whitespace, blank lines, and invisible characters before they show up as false differences. If the change you are checking is a batch replacement, Text Replace can apply it consistently across the whole text; when that replacement depends on a pattern, Regex Tester helps confirm the regex matches the right range. If the two blocks are actually JSON, JSON Diff understands keys, arrays, and nested paths, which is usually clearer than a line-by-line text diff.

Best practices

Clean input produces clearer diffs. Reduce meaningless changes before reviewing formal content.

  • Put the older version on the left and the newer version on the right so additions and removals read naturally.
  • Use split view for short proofreading work, and unified view for long files or logs.
  • Keep unchanged sections collapsed for large text, and expand a section only when you need more context.
  • Walk through changes with previous and next instead of relying on a quick scroll.
  • If spaces, blank lines, or invisible characters do not matter, clean the text before comparing.
  • Turn on line numbers when you need to point someone to an exact place.
  • Clear both sides after working with sensitive content so it does not remain in page memory.

Limitations

It shows where text differs, but it cannot decide whether a change is correct. These limits are worth knowing.

  • The tool compares plain text and does not parse JSON, XML, Markdown, or programming syntax.
  • Case, spaces, blank lines, and indentation changes all count as real differences.
  • A moved paragraph usually appears as a deletion in one place and an addition in another, not as a move.
  • Very large text with many scattered edits can slow down; comparing smaller sections is more reliable.
  • Word-level highlighting depends mostly on whitespace boundaries, so long text without spaces may fall back to line-level differences.
  • It displays differences but does not merge or apply changes automatically.

FAQ

Answers about views, inline highlights, collapsed unchanged text, and local processing.

How is this different from the JSON diff tool?

Text Compare treats the input as plain text, so it is better for drafts, logs, config snippets, clauses, and pasted code. JSON Diff parses structure and reports changes by keys and paths. Use this for free-form text and JSON Diff for JSON.

Should I use split view or unified view?

Split view is best when you want to read old and new versions at the same time. Unified view puts removals and additions in one column, which is more compact for long text or narrow screens.

What does inline highlighting show?

When only part of a line changed, it marks the words that changed. Red belongs to the old version, green belongs to the new version.

What does collapse unchanged do?

It folds long identical sections and keeps only nearby context, so long documents stay focused on the changed parts.

How do I move between differences?

Use the previous and next buttons in the toolbar to jump directly between neighbouring changes.

Can I edit after pasting?

Yes. Both sides are editors, and the comparison updates as soon as either side changes.

Does my text get uploaded?

No. Alignment, diff calculation, highlighting, and folding all run in the current browser session and are not sent to a server.

Why does a moved paragraph appear as removed and added?

The comparison is position-based. When a paragraph moves, the old position looks removed and the new position looks added.

Can it compare very large text?

Most documents, configs, and logs work well. For extremely large text or dense changes, compare in smaller sections and keep unchanged text collapsed.

Related tools

Clean the input, apply replacements, validate rules, or switch to structured comparison when the content is JSON.