GitGroomer

Diff Visualizer

Compare two code snippets or text blocks. The tool highlights the differences in a clean, easy-to-read format.

How to Use

1

Paste Code: Paste your original code into the 'Original' pane and the modified code into the 'Changed' pane.

2

View Diff: The differences are automatically highlighted in the output below, showing additions and deletions.

3

Copy Output: Use the view toggles to switch between side-by-side and unified diffs, then copy the result.

Original Code (A)

Changed Code (B)

Diff Output

The visual diff will appear here...

Understanding the Diff Visualizer

A diff visualizer is a powerful tool that helps developers and writers compare two versions of a text or code file. It highlights the specific lines that have been added, modified, or deleted, making it easy to spot changes at a glance. This is crucial for code reviews, merging changes, and understanding the evolution of a project.

Common Use Cases

Code Review

Visually inspect changes in pull requests or code submissions to identify potential issues and provide feedback more effectively.

Track Local Changes

Compare your current work against the last committed version to get a clear overview of your modifications before staging them.

Learning & Debugging

Analyze differences between a working and a broken version of code to pinpoint the exact change that introduced a bug.

Updating Dependencies

Review changes in configuration files or generated code after updating dependencies to understand their impact.

Example Diff:

Original Code:

function greeting(name) {
  return 'Hello, ' + name;
}

Changed Code:

function greeting(name, punctuation) {
  return 'Hello, ' + name + punctuation;
}

Unified Diff Output:

- function greeting(name) 
+ function greeting(name, punctuation) 
  - return 'Hello, ' + name;
  + return 'Hello, ' + name + punctuation;

Frequently Asked Questions

Is my code secure when using this online diff tool?

Absolutely. All processing is done client-side in your browser using JavaScript. Your code is never sent to our servers, ensuring complete privacy and security. You can even disconnect from the internet after loading the page, and the tool will continue to work.

What languages are supported for syntax highlighting?

The tool can automatically detect and highlight a wide variety of popular programming languages, including JavaScript, Python, Java, C++, HTML, CSS, and many more. You can also manually select a language from the dropdown for more accurate highlighting.

How is this different from `git diff`?

While `git diff` is a powerful command-line tool, our visualizer provides a more intuitive, graphical interface with side-by-side comparisons and interactive elements. It's perfect for those who prefer a visual representation of changes, for sharing diffs with less technical team members, or for when you're not in a command-line environment.

Can I share the generated diff?

Yes. You can use the 'Copy' button to copy the diff content. When in side-by-side mode, it will copy a standard `.diff` patch format that can be saved to a file or shared. When in unified view, it will copy the colored text as it appears.

What do the colors mean?

The colors help you quickly identify changes. Lines with a red background are deletions from the original text. Lines with a green background are additions in the changed text. Unchanged lines have a neutral background.