Text tools

Text Difference Checker

Compare two versions of text with a deterministic line-by-line diff that marks unchanged, removed, and added lines.

Line-based comparison. The two line counts multiplied together must not exceed 2,000,000.

Compare two texts

Read a replacement as two changes

Compare the sample texts to see one removed line, one added line, and two unchanged lines. A moved line can also appear as a removal and addition. The workload limit is the product of the two line counts: at most 2,000,000.

Input or checkExpected result or decision
Before: alpha / beta / gammaAfter: alpha / delta / gamma.
beta → deltaOne removed line and one added line; this is not a character-level edit.
An extra space on a lineA text change; formatting and document layout are not compared.
Before: alpha / beta / gamma; after: gamma / alpha / betagamma appears removed and added; alpha and beta remain unchanged. This comparison does not label a move.

How it works

  • Paste the earlier text on the left and the changed text on the right.
  • The tool uses a longest-common-subsequence comparison at line level.
  • Green rows are additions, red rows are removals, and neutral rows are unchanged.

Common uses

  • Reviewing edits to configuration or copy.
  • Finding changed lines between two lists.
  • Checking a generated file against an earlier version.
Your input stays in this browser. Nothing entered into this tool is sent to the Anvil Tools server.

A practical walkthrough

  1. Place the original text on the left and an edited version on the right, then compare the two versions.
  2. Read added and removed lines together. Moving a line may appear as a removal and addition rather than a separate move.
  3. Read the added and removed lines and their line numbers. This tool displays a comparison and has no export button.

Tips for a reliable result

The comparison works line by line. Very large inputs can exceed the comparison limit; compare smaller sections when that happens.

What to use next

These tools open separately; inputs are not transferred.

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How this tool handles your data

Both text versions are compared in your browser and are not sent to an Anvil processing server.

Compare privacy behavior across all tools.

Known limitations

The comparison is line-oriented, not semantic. Reordered blocks, equivalent formatting, word-level changes, and very large documents may require a specialized diff tool.

Related guide and Lab test

Questions and troubleshooting

Does it compare individual characters?

No. It compares complete lines, which keeps code, lists, and configuration changes readable.

Why is there a size limit?

Exact line comparison uses memory proportional to both line counts. The limit prevents a very large paste from freezing the browser.

When a comparison is too large or unexpected

Compare a smaller section if the workload limit is reached. Check blank lines and whitespace in both sources. This tool compares text lines, so moved lines can appear as removals and additions; it does not inspect rich-document formatting.

Does it compare document formatting?

It compares pasted plain text by line. Fonts, page layout, tracked changes, and rich-text formatting are not part of the comparison.

Why does a moved line appear twice?

A line-based comparison can represent a move as a removed line and an added line. Read those changes together before accepting a revision.

Explore practical guides and experiments

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