Visual Diff Merge

A powerful visual diff and merge tool for the web

Introduction

Visual Diff Merge is a powerful web-based tool for comparing and merging text files and content. It provides a user-friendly interface for visualizing differences between versions of code, text files, or content from URLs, and offers intuitive merge capabilities.

Advanced Diff Visualization

Clearly see additions, deletions, and modifications with synchronized scrolling and intelligent chunk navigation.

Multiple Content Sources

Compare content from files, direct text input, or URLs with a consistent interface.

Interactive Merge

Resolve conflicts and merge changes with an intuitive user interface.

Syntax Highlighting

Automatic language detection and syntax highlighting for over 180 programming languages.

Screenshots

Here are some screenshots of Visual Diff Merge in action:

Click on any screenshot to view it in fullscreen mode.

Key Features

  • Multiple Operation Modes

    Support for four distinct modes: File Browser (server files), File Upload (local files), Text Compare (direct input), and URL Compare (web content).

  • Intelligent Diff Algorithm

    Accurate difference detection with configurable context lines, whitespace handling, and case sensitivity options.

  • Real-time Syntax Highlighting

    Automatic language detection and syntax highlighting powered by highlight.js with support for light and dark themes.

  • Chunk-based Navigation

    Easily navigate between changes with next/previous buttons and visual indicators.

  • Interactive Merge Tools

    Resolve conflicts by selecting chunks from either side or custom edits.

  • Multiple Save Options

    Save merged content to original files or as new files with various options.

  • Responsive Design

    Works on desktop and tablets with adaptive layout for different screen sizes.

  • Customizable UI

    Extensive styling options and theme customization capabilities.

  • Multilingual Support

    Built-in translations with easy extension to additional languages.

Quick Start

Option 1: Quick Setup with Pre-compiled Files

For a quick setup without needing to compile anything:

git clone https://github.com/migliori/visual-diff-merge.git

# Navigate to the project directory
cd visual-diff-merge

# Install PHP dependencies only
composer install --no-dev

All pre-compiled JavaScript and CSS files are already included in the dist/ directory, so you can start using the tool right away.

Option 2: Development Setup

If you want to modify the source code:

git clone https://github.com/migliori/visual-diff-merge.git

# Navigate to the project directory
cd visual-diff-merge

# Install all dependencies
composer install
npm install

# Compile assets for development
npm run compile-scss

For detailed setup instructions, refer to the Installation Guide.

After installation, you can use Visual Diff Merge in one of the four operation modes:

File Browser Mode

Browse and compare server files

Learn more →

File Upload Mode

Upload and compare local files

Learn more →

Text Compare Mode

Compare text snippets directly

Learn more →

URL Compare Mode

Compare content from URLs

Learn more →

For a complete setup guide, see the Installation page.

Configuration

Visual Diff Merge is highly configurable through the api/config.php file. You can customize:

  • Diff generation settings (context lines, whitespace handling, etc.)
  • UI appearance and themes
  • Default language and translations
  • Security settings and allowed directories
  • Debug settings and logging

For detailed configuration options, see the Customization page.

Getting Help

Visual Diff Merge is open-source software. If you need help or want to contribute:

Documentation Overview

Installation

How to install and set up Visual Diff Merge

  • Prerequisites
  • Installation steps
  • Server configuration
  • Troubleshooting

Usage

How to use Visual Diff Merge in different modes

  • File browser mode
  • File upload mode
  • Text compare mode
  • URL compare mode

Customization

How to customize Visual Diff Merge

  • Configuration settings
  • Styling
  • Translations
  • Extensions

API

API reference and integration

  • Endpoint documentation
  • Request/response formats
  • Security considerations
  • Integration diff-viewer

Architecture

Technical architecture and design

  • System components
  • Data flow
  • Initialization sequence
  • Extension points