KDiff3

KDiff3

KDiff3 is a free open source diff and merge tool for Windows, Mac, and Linux. It allows users to compare files and directories, shows differences in side-by-side and inline layouts, and helps merge changes between versions. KDiff3 supports Unicode, auto-detection of encodings, an
KDiff3 image
diff merge compare version-control

KDiff3: Free Open Source Diff and Merge Tool

KDiff3 is a free open source diff and merge tool for Windows, Mac, and Linux. It allows users to compare files and directories, shows differences in side-by-side and inline layouts, and helps merge changes between versions. KDiff3 supports Unicode, auto-detection of encodings, and editing actions during merges.

What is KDiff3?

KDiff3 is a powerful yet easy-to-use open source diff and merge tool available free for Windows, macOS, and Linux. It enables software developers and other users to visually compare two or three files or directories, clearly see their differences line-by-line or word-by-word in side-by-side or unified layouts, and safely merge changes between versions.

Key features include:

  • Comparing and merging files, directories, and working copies
  • Two- and three-way comparison modes
  • Multiple diff layouts (inline, side-by-side)
  • Editing functionality during merge sessions
  • Auto-detection of text encodings
  • Support for Unicode characters
  • Directory comparison filter and ignore options
  • Code syntax highlighting
  • Saving comparison sessions
  • Portability across Windows, macOS, and Linux

With its intuitive graphical interface, detail-oriented diff capabilities, and flexibility in merging file changes, KDiff3 is a reliable open source solution for development teams, IT professionals, and anyone needing to inspect differences between versions and integrate updates between files or codebases.

KDiff3 Features

Features

  1. Compares and merges text files or directories
  2. Supports 2-way and 3-way merges
  3. Shows differences in side-by-side or inline layouts
  4. Syntax highlighting for many file types
  5. Unicode support
  6. Auto-detection of character encodings
  7. Editing actions during merge
  8. Configurable diff engine

Pricing

  • Free
  • Open Source

Pros

Free and open source

Available for Windows, Mac and Linux

Intuitive and easy to use interface

Many advanced features for power users

Integrates with version control systems

Cons

Limited documentation and support

Slower performance with large files

No cloud sync or collaboration features


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