File comparison is highly desirable features, such as determining the differences of the different versions of source files of two programs. BeyondCompare although powerful, but want to register; Meld is also a good tool that can be cross-platform. There is no lightweight tool? There under Linux diff and sdiff, there WinDiff Windows, the basic file diff can achieve, it is worth considering.
The following is an introduction to the diff and sdiff, from the original: https://www.cyberciti.biz/faq/how-do-i-compare-two-files-under-linux-or-unix/
How do I Compare two files under Linux or UNIX?
You need to use diff command to display line-by-line difference between two files. The general syntax of diff command as follows:
diff FILE1 FILE2
Where,
FILE1 FILE2: Diff command will examine both file1 and file2 and tells you what changes need to be made for file1 and file2 to match. Please note that diff command point to which lines need be:
- Added (a)
- Deleted (d)
- Changed (c)
- Further lines in file1 identified with a less than () symbol and lines in file2 with a grater than (>) symbol.
Examples
diff file1.txt file2.txt
Output:
8c8,9 URL: www.nixcraft.in > Email: [email protected]
The contents of both files:
$ cat file1.txt
Output:
Welcome to nixCraft! If undeliverd return to nixCraft #404, DC bay area, 2nd phase, Pune. Ph: 555-11112223 URL: www.nixcraft.com
$ cat file2.txt
Output:
Welcome to nixCraft! If undeliverd return to nixCraft #404, DC bay area, 2nd phase, Pune. Ph: 555-11112223 URL: www.nixcraft.in Email: [email protected]
Side-by-side merge of file differences
You can get a clear-cut visual difference between two text files using the command sdiff:
$ sdiff file1.txt file2.txt
Output:
Welcome to nixCraft! Welcome to nixCraft!
If undeliverd return to nixCraft If undeliverd return to nixCraft
#404, DC bay area, 2nd phase, #404, DC bay area, 2nd phase,
Pune. Pune.
Ph: 555-11112223 Ph: 555-11112223
URL: www.nixcraft.com | URL: www.nixcraft.in
> Email: [email protected]