It is a very popular application that is responsible for comparing both our text files and folders quickly and effectively. To do this, it uses simple and powerful commands that are responsible for detecting the differences between two texts and ignoring those that do not. Text files can be viewed and edited, with syntax highlighting and comparison rules specific to documents, HTML, and source code.
As an inconvenience, note that the text content of the DOC (Microsoft Word) and PDF (Adobe) files can also be compared, but in this case editing is not possible. Once the comparison process between two files is finished, we can merge the changes we make, synchronize our files and even generate reports for our records.
If we want to try Beyond Compare we can have a free trial version.
The best and the worst
The operation through simple commands makes its use very fast and easy, as long as we know its function. The changes in the documents are highlighted in different colors which makes it very easy to find the different ones in both. Regarding the negative points, this application is only available in English, which can be a problem for users without English knowledge. It only allows us to edit files in .docx, .doc and .pdf format but not make changes.
Notepad++
It is certainly one of the oldest text editorss and with greater popularity among users. It can be used both for development work and for small writing. Among its features we can highlight its text file comparator, being one of the most powerful functions that we can find. Once the two elements have been loaded, it will be the application itself that will be in charge of carrying out a line-by-line comparison on the screen, which will allow us to see the differences at all times.
To carry out this work, it will only be necessary to have an additional add-on installed that can be easily installed from its Add-ons Manager, as well as a plugin called Compare and that will even allow us to compare two files in XML (Microsoft Excel) format. Its main drawback is that its interface is not the most intuitive and it needs a thorough renovation.
The best thing about the Notepad++ processor is that it is a completely free tool that we can download at no cost from .
Points for and against
It is one of the most complete applications to compare all types of files and allows us to see, at a glance, what are the changes in each of the documents. The main negative point of this application is that the user interface is not friendly, it is not intuitive, so it is necessary to dedicate some time to be able to take advantage of all the functions that it offers us. Like the previous application, it is only available in English.
WinMerge
We now turn to an application that can be of great help for comparing the contents of text files. With this program we can compare both files and folders to find their differences, and even combine them. It also works very effectively with files with programming codes. In the same way, it is also compatible with external plugins, so we can expand its functionality if required.
This powerful tool has different features that allow us to compare, synchronize and combine very quickly. With it, it will be possible to compare three-way files, differentiating and combining text files visually. It has a flexible editor that allows us to highlight syntax, line numbers and line wraps, and even allows the detection of moved lines.
WinMerge is a completely free open source utility that we can download from the .
Strengths and weaknesses
If we want, in addition to sharing files, to also compare the contents of folders, this is the application we are looking for, an application designed to edit code, although we can also use it without problems to compare files in different formats. In addition, we can expand the number of options thanks to the fact that it offers support for third-party plugins that we can find on its website.
Vim
This time we find another tool dedicated to text processing and editing, as well as a source code editor. That is why one of its possibilities is the ability to compare two text files. It will only be necessary to load two files at the same time and the program will take care of making a comparison between them. Once finished, it will place in bold the text that is shared between the two documents analyzed.
Vim is an application that, having a source code editor, has support for hundreds of programming languages. In addition, it is open source, cross-platform (compatible with Linux, macOS and Windows) and completely free. Perhaps its main drawback is that it can be a bit more complicated to handle for inexperienced users compared to other options.
We can download Vim for free from its .
Advantages and disadvantages
Unlike other applications that use color coding to highlight changes, Vim bolds changes to files. It is a completely free, open source application and it is cross-platform. The application is available in English and includes so many functions, mainly focused on programming, that for users with low knowledge, it is not the best option to compare files.
gedit
This time we are dealing with text editing software, which was initially developed for code creation and editing, being used to develop various programming languages. It has an interface in the form of tabs that allows us to open files separately within the same window. This makes it possible to make a comparison of the content of both documents.
The interface will show us the content of the files in different colors. If the content is the same for both, the line will be visible in black. It will also be possible to see the number of lines and those present in both files. Its main drawback is that it can be more complicated to use than other options.
Gedit is a free, open source and free application that we can download from
To highlight and to improve
The application interface works through tabs, which allows us to always have at hand all the files we want to compare quickly and easily. Similar content is highlighted in different colors and it is not an application for users who do not have extensive computer knowledge, as it is focused on code programmers. Also, it is only available in English.
Geany
In this case, we are before another text editor, especially suitable for programmers, since it has support for more than 50 programming languages such as C, Java, PHP, HTML, Python, Perl or Pascal among others. As in other mentioned cases, it also allows us to open several text documents in the same interface, through the use of tabs.
This program puts at our disposal the function of comparing text files. This allows us to find all the differences between two files and between two directories, so that it warns us that one or the other is missing. By comparing it helps us to visualize the number of lines in both files, including the number of changes between them. We will see how the common text on the same line will be visible to both in black, while the differences will be marked in red and green.
Geany is a free and open source application, compatible with Windows, Linux and macOS that we can download from its .
Positive and negative points
It works through tabs that are organized on the right side of the application. All changes, depending on their type, are highlighted in green or red. Although the user interface, at first glance, seems simple, when we start to interact with it, it is quite complex and requires dedication to get the most out of it.
Bunk Bed Compare
Litera Compare is a tool for companies that allows you to buy different documents both in Word, Excel, PowerPoint format as PDF. The maximum number of files that the application can buy together is 4, including the original. It integrates with Microsoft 365 allowing comparisons to be made without leaving the application through a specific tab.
Being a professional hack tool, the app works under a subscription $145 a year, a subscription that gives access to all the functions that this tool offers us. We can also opt for the basic version, a version that is priced at $99 per year and that only allows you to buy files in Word format.
Litera compare is available through its website, which we can access from the following link.
Pros and cons
All the changes between the different documents that we compare are displayed in the left column of the application using the colors red and blue, colors that are also shown in the document, which allows us to quickly identify the changes that have been made. In order to use this application, it is necessary to pay a monthly subscription, which is also not exactly cheap.
Compare Suite
A much cheaper option than the previous one, we find it in Compare Suite, an application that compares two documents word by word, highlights the changes that have been made, includes the possibility of creating a white list of terms to ignore. It is ideal for finding the final version of a file, when we have been adding different copies of the original.
Unlike the previous app, there’s no need make use of an annual subscription, since we can buy the pro application for only 70 euros for an individual license. If we buy between 2 and 9 licenses, the price is reduced to $53 for each one. We can find this application directly on its website by clicking on the following .
we like it and we don’t like it
With a double panel interface, we find the Compare Suite application, one of the most complete on the market and with a very easy to use and learn interface. The main negative point is that in order to use it, it is necessary to go through the box and pay the 70 euros it costs. Although the interface is very intuitive, it could use a cosmetic revamp to make it more similar to the Windows design.
Web tools to compare two text files
If we need to compare the content of two text files, but we prefer to avoid having to install a new program on our computer, we can opt for another alternative. And it is that there are different online applications that will allow us to carry out this work, also for free, from a web platform, so it will not be necessary to download any software.
Google Drive Docs
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