Code Compare vs icdiff
Code Compare
devart.comicdiff
jefftk.comSide by side
| Figure | Code Compare | icdiff |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | Yes | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Windows | Yes | — |
| macOS | — | Yes |
| Linux | — | Yes |
| API | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 5 | 1 |
| Spec score · Diff and Merge Tools | 9.2 (#1) | 7.4 (#22) |
| Purpose | Code Compare compares and merges differing files and folders. | icdiff highlights changes between similar files in a side-by-side terminal view, especially small changes within existing lines. |
| Support | Devart says free support includes documentation, forums, an AI support chatbot, and basic email troubleshooting; support for trial licenses includes extended email assistance and product updates. | The product page links to the maker's contact page. |
| Version control | The maker lists integrations including TFS, SVN, Git, Mercurial, Perforce, TortoiseGit, GitKraken, SourceTree, and Git Extensions. | The README describes using icdiff with Git, Subversion, and Mercurial. |
Plans
Code Compare
- Code Compare FreeFree
- EvaluationFree
- Free editionFree
- Pro edition$69.95, paid once
- Code Compare ProPriced on request
In their own words
Code Compare
Code Compare has no write-up on Specifiction yet; its figures are above.
icdiff
icdiff is a free, open-source command-line program for comparing two files in a side-by-side terminal view. It emphasizes small changes within existing lines that may be difficult to spot with standard diff, rather than replacing diff for every situation. Users can highlight changes with foreground or background colors and customize the color map. Display options include line numbers, labels, whole-file output, whitespace highlighting, line truncation, and recursive directory comparison. The tool works with Git, Subversion, and Mercurial and supports two-way comparisons, not three-way merges. Installation methods listed by the maker include pip, apt, Homebrew, AUR, and Nix. It runs on Linux and macOS as a command-line tool that can be placed on the PATH. Input and output default to UTF-8, with command-line encoding options. Screen-width autodetection is Unix-only, and exclude-lines cannot be combined with line numbers.