visual studio code show difference between two files

Visual studio code show difference between two files code#

This can lead to noisy diffs as many programming languages allow you to add optional semicolons or line breaks that show up as changes without having any effect on your program.

Visual studio code show difference between two files code#

The diff viewer built into Visual Studio Code compares files line-by-line and highlights every character that has changed. Here are some tips how you can get better diffs. In some cases, however, you can get better results by installing third-party extensions or by fine-tuning some settings. The Visual Studio Code diff viewer provides a good out-of-the-box experience for many programming languages and other text-based file formats. Below I have collected some tips on how you can further configure and optimize the diff viewer to your needs. This should give you basic understanding of how diffs work in Visual Studio Code. Only the parts of the line that actually differ have an intense color: Lines that exist in both versions but contain differences use a light red and green background. Lines that exist only in the new version are displayed using a diagonal pattern on the left side and bright green background on the right side: Lines that exist only in the old version are displayed using a bright red background on the left side and a diagonal pattern on the right side: The differences between the two files are usually highlighted using the colors red and green, but the colors may vary depending on theme you are using. The right side shows the new file, which is the second file you selected or the new git revision. On the left side you can see the content of the old file, which is either the first file you selected or the older git revision of the file. Diff Viewer ExplanationĪfter following any of the methods described above, the diff viewer should open. Check out the marketplace page to learn more about them. The Diff Folders extension offers several other features, such as copying files between the two folders.