What is Xxdiff?
xxdiff is an open source visual file and directory comparison tool for Linux/Unix operating systems. It allows you to compare two files or directories side-by-side and see the differences highlighted in color. This makes it easy to see at a glance what lines have changed, been added, or removed.
Some key features of xxdiff include:
- Comparing text files like source code, configuration files, etc. It supports diff of files up to 4GB.
- Directory comparison to see differences in file names, permissions, sizes, etc.
- Flexibility in how the diff files are displayed - side by side, unified diff, etc.
- Intuitive user interface with controls for navigating through diffs.
- Integration with version control systems like CVS and GIT for comparing revisions.
- Portable across Linux/Unix platforms like Linux, Solaris, macOS.
- Support for outputting diff data to HTML format for web publishing or emailing.
With its visual presentation of differences and lightweight interface, xxdiff can serve as an efficient diff tool for developers, system administrators, testers, writers, and anyone needing to quickly spot changes between versions of files or directories. The color coding of changes allows users to zero in on relevant parts for review. Its widespread availability across Linux/Unix platforms also make it an attractive option.