WinMerge (WM) : Visual Differencing/Merging Tool for Comparing both Folders and Files

WinMerge is an Open Source differencing and merging tool for Windows. Use it to detect changes between files and folders, present differences in a visual text format that is easy to understand and handle, and then to merge changes selectively.

WinMerge is highly useful for determining what has changed between project versions, and then merging changes between versions. WinMerge can be used as an external differencing/merging tool (launch it from a version control system or another application) or as a standalone application (use WinMerge by itself).

[ Detailed Description ]

WinMerge is a visual text comparison application, that allows you to see the highlighted differences between 2 text based files. It is in particular useful for comparing source codes, and offers optional support for Visual SourceSafe syntax highlighting, customizable highlight colors and more.

The program allows you to go through all found differences and then merge each instance by either replacing them on the right or the left side.

When you compare two files or folders, the result is displayed in the WinMerge window. The WinMerge window’s visual display and functions are designed to help you see differences between your targets, and to merge selected differences if you want to.

In a file comparison: WinMerge shows differences between lines. The built-in text editor provides syntax highlighting for several programming languages and other file formats.

In a folder comparison: WinMerge indicates various kinds of differences between the files that the folders contain.

[ Key Features ]

In addition, WinMerge has many helpful supporting features that make comparing, synchronising, and merging as easy and useful as possible:

• General
  • Supports Microsoft Windows 98/ME/2000/XP/2003/Vista/2008
  • Handles Windows, Unix and Mac text file formats
  • Unicode support
  • Tabbed interface

• File Compare
  • Visual differencing and merging of text files
  • Flexible editor with syntax highlighting, line numbers and word-wrap
  • Highlights differences inside lines
  • Difference pane shows current difference in two vertical panes
  • Location pane shows map of files compared
  • Moved lines detection
• Folder Compare
  • Regular Expression based file filters allow excluding and including items
  • Fast compare using file sizes and dates
  • Compares one folder or includes all subfolders
  • Can show folder compare results in a tree-style view

• Version Control
  • Creates patch files (Normal-, Context- and Unified formats)
  • Resolve conflict files
  • Rudimentary Visual SourceSafe and Rational ClearCase integration
• Other
  • Shell Integration (supports 64-bit Windows versions)
  • Archive file support using 7-Zip
  • Plugin support
  • Localizable interface
  • Online manual and installed HTML Help manual

[ Related Links ]

• WinMerge Quick Tour
• WinMerge Online Manual
• WinMerge Additional Plugins Download
• WinMerge Development Wiki
• More WinMerge Screenshots from Official Website

[ Official Download ]