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Beginner guide ​

In about ten minutes you compare two pieces of text, then two files, copy a change from one file to the other, and compare two folders. You need DeltaView installed and nothing else.

What a comparison tool does ​

A comparison tool (often called a diff tool) puts two versions of something next to each other and marks what is different. Three words come up all the time:

  • Left and right: the two sides you compare. Neither is "the original"; you decide what each side means.
  • Change: a group of neighbouring lines that differ between the two sides.
  • Merge: bringing the changes from two versions together into one result.

DeltaView marks changes with colour and with a symbol, so you do not have to rely on colour alone: + for added lines, − for removed lines and ~ for changed lines.

Tour the home screen ​

When DeltaView starts you see the home screen. It has:

  • Four modes at the top: Folders, Files, Text and Merge.
  • One card per side, Left and Right, where you type, paste or drop a path. Each card has a Browse button.
  • A Swap sides button between the cards.
  • A Compare button. Under it, a line of text tells you what is still missing, for example "Choose Right".
  • A Recent list of earlier comparisons, once you have made some.

The tab bar at the top of the window has a New comparison button, Settings, a theme switch (System, Light, Dark) and a More menu with Keyboard shortcuts and About DeltaView.

Step 1: compare two snippets of text ​

Start with the mode that needs no files.

  1. On the home screen, select Text.

    Two boxes appear: Left text and Right text.

  2. Type or paste this into Left text:

    text
    Milk
Eggs
Bread
Butter

  3. Type or paste this into Right text:

    text
    Milk
Eggs (12)
Bread
Jam
Butter

  4. Select Compare.

The comparison opens in the same tab. You see both texts side by side. The line Eggs is marked as changed, with (12) highlighted inside the line. The line Jam is marked as added on the right. The toolbar counts the added, removed and changed lines.

TIP

Copy some text, then press Ctrl + Shift + V anywhere in DeltaView to compare the clipboard.

Step 2: move between changes ​

  1. Press Alt + ↓ to jump to the next change, and Alt + ↑ to go back.

    The toolbar shows where you are, for example "Change 1 of 2".

  2. Look at the strip on the edge of the view. It is a small map of the whole comparison. Drag it to scroll.

Step 3: copy a change across ​

The band between the two panes has an arrow next to each change.

  1. Go to the Jam change.

  2. Select the arrow that points left, or press Alt + ←.

    The left side now has Jam too. That change disappears, because the two sides agree there.

  3. Press Ctrl + Z to undo, and Ctrl + Shift + Z to redo.

Nothing was written to disk: this was pasted text. When you compare real files, a side with edits shows ● unsaved in the toolbar until you save with Ctrl + S.

Step 4: compare two files ​

  1. Press Ctrl + T to open a new comparison tab.

  2. Select Files.

  3. On the Left card, select Browse and choose a file. Do the same on the Right card with another version of that file.

    You can also drop two files anywhere on the home screen.

  4. Select Compare.

You get the same side-by-side view, now with syntax highlighting for common file types. Compare two files covers editing, saving and the compare rules.

Step 5: compare two folders ​

  1. Press Ctrl + T again and select Folders.

  2. Choose a folder for Left and a folder for Right, for example a project and a copy of it.

  3. Select Compare.

    DeltaView scans both folders in the background. You can select Cancel while it runs.

  4. Read the result. Four counters sum it up: modified, left only, right only and identical.

  5. Double-click a modified file to open its side-by-side diff in a new tab.

The folder view starts on the Changes filter, so identical files are hidden. Select All to see everything.

What you learned ​

  • The four modes on the home screen and what each one compares.
  • How to read a side-by-side diff and jump between changes.
  • How to copy a change from one side to the other, and undo it.
  • How to compare two folders and open a file from the tree.

Next steps ​