Diff Checker
Quickly check whether two pieces of text are identical. Paste both strings, compare them, and get an instant match or not match result.
Enter your Strings
What this does
This answers one clear question: are these two pieces of text exactly the same, or not? Paste one into the first box and the other into the second, press compare, and you get a straight verdict, identical or not identical. It is the quick way to confirm whether two things match without reading them side by side, word for word, yourself.
How to use it
- Paste your first piece of text into the box on the left.
- Paste the second piece into the box on the right.
- Press Compare to see whether they match, or Clear to empty both boxes.
Both pieces are compared in your browser, so nothing you paste is sent anywhere.
An exact, all-or-nothing check
The comparison is strict, and it is worth knowing exactly how strict. The two pieces must match character for character to count as the same. That means capitalisation matters, so a capital letter against a small one makes them different. Spacing matters too, including a stray space at the end of a line or a double space you cannot see. Even a difference you would never spot by eye is enough for the verdict to come back as not identical.
One honest point about what it gives you. It tells you whether the two match, but it does not paint the differences for you or point to where they part ways. The result is a clean identical-or-not answer, not a highlighted map of every change. If they do not match and you need to find the exact spot, you will want to scan the two yourself.
When you would reach for it
A quick sameness check turns out to be handy in lots of small moments. You might want to confirm that a piece of text you copied came through unchanged, with nothing dropped or altered along the way. You might be holding two versions of something and need to know whether they are truly the same or have quietly drifted apart. Or you might want to check that a duplicate really is an exact copy of the original before you rely on it. In each case, this saves you the slow, error-prone job of comparing the two by hand.
Questions people ask
Will it show me what is different?
No. It tells you whether the two pieces are identical or not, but it does not highlight the differences. To find the exact change, you will need to compare them yourself.
Does capitalisation count?
Yes. The check is case-sensitive, so the same word in different capitalisation counts as a difference and the result comes back as not identical.
Can an invisible space make them not match?
It can. A trailing space or a hidden double space is a real difference to the tool, so two pieces that look the same on screen may still be reported as not identical.
Is there a size limit on the text?
There is no set limit. You can compare anything from a couple of words to long passages, though very large pieces may take a brief moment.
Sarayu is an Assistant Lecturer at Herald College, currently studying Masters of Engineering at KU. She is a Software engineer and educator who enjoys writing, and publishes essays and articles. She helps to review word/text utilities for clarity and usability.