the 4 best tools to compare two text files
Anyone who frequently creates scripts or analyzes log files and handles different versions can compare them very quickly with the help of the right editor.
Visual Studio Code: VS Code
The popular code editor VS Code includes, among other useful features, a possibility to compare different text files with each other:
In doing so, any file can be selected for comparison: "Select for compare"
and compared with the help of the dialog "Compare with selection":
Vendor / Download, see: code.visualstudio.com/
VS Code replaces my former favorite editor "Notepad++" in my personal editor ranking, see also: PowerShell editors in comparison: ISE, Visual Studio Code
Notepad++
Notepad++ was one of the best editors for Windows for a long time due to its features and capabilities.
| Program | Notepad++ |
|---|---|
| current version | 8.5.7 (found: 2023-09-08) |
| Developer | Don HO http://notepad-plus.sourceforge.net/de/site.htm |
| License | GPL |
| Unattended / Silent Install Parameter | npp.8.5.7.Installer.exe /S Optional: /D for the installation directory |
Additionally the functionality can be extended by numerous plugins. For example with the compare plugin: Compare.
With the Compare Plugin in Notepad++ 2 text files can be compared with each other: Differences are marked. The plugin can be activated with the Plugin Manager. Click on "Plugins", "Plugin Manager", "Show Plugin Manager".
then select the plugin "Compare" and "Install".
Two similar text files can then be compared with each other using "Plugins" and "Compare":
Winmerge
Another program, especially for text comparisons or folder comparisons, is Winmerge.
| Program | WinMerge |
|---|---|
| current version | 2.16.32 (found: 2023-07-28) |
| Developer | WinMerge Development Team http://winmerge.org/ |
| License | GPL |
Meld
Another tool for a text comparison is Meld. Meld comes from the Linux world and was also ported to Windows.
| Program | Meld |
|---|---|
| current version | 3.20.4 (found: 2021-08-13) |
| Developer | Gnome Project http://meldmerge.org/ |
| License | GPLv2 |
({{pro_count}})
{{percentage}} % positive
({{con_count}})
THANK YOU for your review!
Top articles in this section
When cloning a large hard disk to a smaller one, I lost the recovery partition. So far not bad, Windows works without recovery partition, but in case of an error the partition helps to get the PC up and running again. To summarize, here's how it works with the recovery partition: As long as the partition is still there, it can be deactivated and written to a file. If the partition gets lost unexpectedly, it can be recovered from the Windows setup media. This post is also available as a video, se...
Windows drivers can of course also be managed via the command line. Microsoft offers two different tools for this purpose: The PnPUtil integrated in Windows and as part of the Windows Driver Kit (WDK) the command: devcon.
Build means the kernel version of Windows. How current the Windows 10 or Windows 11 installation is, can be seen by the build number used.
