KDiff3

Say you have a couple of text files and you want to compare them to see the differences between the two. After you load them into KDiff3, it will analyze them and on its user friendly interface it will present the line by line and character by character differences. On top of that, KDiff3 can merge the two files you loaded and it features an integrated editor so you can solve any merge conflicts.

The setup wizard that guides you through the process of installing KDiff3 on a Windows-powered machine will ask you to pick one of many supported languages, choose the components you want to install (core files, documentation, translation, utilities, integration), and select where you want to install the application. It is, in all fairness, a standard setup process that won’t pose any problems.

Getting accustomed to the interface won’t pose any problems either: the text files you loaded take up the main part of the interface – a panel for each file, with the differences highlighted. At the top there’s a traditional File Menu and a bar with buttons for different functions the application can perform. Just like with the installation process, it will take very little time to get accustomed with the application's interface.

When you launch KDiff3, you are presented with a prompt that invites you to load text files or directories. The prompt also allows you to access the Configure menu, swap/copy names, and enable the merge function. Load two text files and they will be presented side by side on the application’s interface – the differences between the two files will be highlighted. If you want to, you can merge the two files – the nice thing here is that there’s an editor that will help you address any conflicts that may occur during the merge procedure.

As it is released under a GNU General Public License, KDiff3 is a free application.

Pinpoint the differences between several text files and easily merge them by using the free application KDiff3.