How do I compare two directories in UNIX?

Diff command in Unix is used to find the differences between files(all types). Since directory is also a type of file, the differences between two directories can easily be figure out by using diff commands. For more option use man diff on your unix box.

Can you diff two directories in Linux?

In Linux, we use the same diff command to compare directories as well as files. Without any option, diffing 2 directories will tell you which files only exist in 1 directory and not the other, and which are common files.

How can I find the difference between two folders?

5 Answers

  1. run cmd.exe to get a command prompt. (In Windows 7, the powershell won’t work for this, FYI.)
  2. in each window go to the directories that you want to compare. (Using ‘cd’ commands.
  3. type ‘dir /b > A. txt’ into one window and ‘dir /b > B.
  4. move B. txt into the same folder as A.
  5. type ‘fc A. txt B.

How do you use a Windiff?

Start Windiff.exe. On the File menu, click Compare Files. In the Select First File dialog box, locate and then click a file name for the first file in the comparison, and then click Open. In the Select Second File dialog box, locate and then click a file name for the second file in the comparison, and then click Open.

How do I compare two directories in Linux?

Directory comparison feature is also available in several file managers. In Midnight Commander we select Command/Compare Directories menu item or alternatively, Ctrl-x d shortcut to make a comparison of the directories showed in the manager’s file panels.

How do I compare directories in meld?

Meld lets you compare two or three folders side-by-side. You can start a new folder comparison by selecting the File ▸ New… menu item, and clicking on the Directory Comparison tab. Your selected folders will be shown as side-by-side trees, with differences between files in each folder highlighted.

Which command is used to compare the files in UNIX?

cmp command in Linux/UNIX is used to compare the two files byte by byte and helps you to find out whether the two files are identical or not.

How do I compare files with Windiff?

How do I use diffdiff to compare two files in Linux?

Diff has an option -r which is meant to do just that. diff can not only compare two files, it can, by using the -r option, walk entire directory trees, recursively checking differences between subdirectories and files that occur at comparable points in each tree.

Basic diff usage for comparing directories The easiest way to get started is to simply invoke diff command and specify two directories as command line parameters. Here’s what you will probably see:

How to split a directory into two files in Linux?

The easiest way to get started is to simply invoke diff command and specify two directories as command line parameters. Here’s what you will probably see:

How to use Diff to report only when two files differ?

In this command, the -q switch tells diff to report only when files differ. Again diff doesn’t go into the subdirectories, but we can use the -r switch to read the subdirectories as well like this.