Git Diff Viewer

Tool Overview

Git Diff Viewer shows differences between two code versions. You paste original code and updated code. The tool highlights what changed. It shows additions, deletions, and unchanged lines. It helps you understand code changes quickly.

Reading code changes manually is slow. You must compare files line by line. You must spot differences yourself. You must understand what changed and why. This takes time and causes mistakes.

This tool solves these problems. It compares code automatically. It highlights all differences visually. It shows statistics about changes. It provides side-by-side and unified views. It helps you understand changes instantly.

This tool is for developers reviewing code changes. It is for code reviewers checking pull requests. It is for anyone comparing code versions. You need basic knowledge of code. You do not need advanced skills.

Background & Concept Explanation

Code changes happen constantly. Developers modify files. They add features. They fix bugs. They refactor code. Understanding what changed is important for reviews and debugging.

Diffs show line-by-line changes. Added lines appear with plus signs. Removed lines appear with minus signs. Unchanged lines appear normally. Line numbers help locate changes. This format helps understand modifications.

Git generates diff output automatically. It compares file versions. It shows what changed between commits. It helps track project evolution. But reading raw Git diff output is hard.

People struggle with diffs manually. Raw diff output is hard to read. Changes blend together. Context is missing. Line numbers are confusing. Understanding impact takes time.

Visual diff viewers make changes clear. They use colors to highlight differences. They show code side by side. They provide statistics. They make comparisons easy to understand.

This tool provides visual diff viewing. You paste two code versions. The tool compares them automatically. It highlights additions in green. It highlights deletions in red. It shows unchanged code normally. It displays statistics about changes.

Key Features

• Dual code input fields. You paste original code in one field and updated code in another. Each field shows character count. Fields are clearly labeled. This makes input clear.
• Automatic diff computation. The tool compares code as you paste. It finds differences immediately. It highlights changes automatically. This provides instant feedback.
• Split view display. The tool shows code side by side. Original code appears on the left. Updated code appears on the right. Changes align for easy comparison. This makes differences obvious.
• Unified view display. The tool can show changes in a single column. All changes appear together. Added and removed lines show in sequence. This provides compact viewing.
• Line number display. Each line shows its number. Original lines show old numbers. Updated lines show new numbers. This helps locate changes in files.
• Color-coded highlighting. Added lines appear with green background. Removed lines appear with red background. Unchanged lines appear normally. This makes changes easy to spot.
• Change statistics. The tool counts additions and deletions. It shows total lines changed. Statistics appear in badges. This helps understand change scope.
• View mode switching. You can switch between split and unified views. Split shows side-by-side comparison. Unified shows sequential changes. Choose the view that works best.
• Copy functionality. You can copy the updated code easily. Click the copy button. Code copies to clipboard. This helps when applying changes.
• Local storage persistence. The tool saves your code in browser storage. It remembers your input between sessions. This helps when working on changes over time.
• Sample code loading. The tool includes example code. Click to load samples. Examples show how diff viewing works. This helps you learn the tool.
• AI semantic analysis. The tool can analyze changes intelligently. It explains what changed and why. It assesses change impact. It provides key change summaries. This helps understand modifications.
• Impact assessment. AI analysis rates change impact. It marks changes as low, medium, or high impact. This helps prioritize reviews.
• Key changes summary. AI analysis lists important changes. It explains modifications clearly. It helps understand code evolution.
• Input length limits. Each field accepts up to 100,000 characters. This prevents browser performance issues. Limits ensure smooth operation.
• Character count display. Each input field shows character count. It displays current count versus maximum. This helps manage input size.
• Clear buttons. Each input field has a clear button. Click to empty the field quickly. This helps when starting over.
• Reset functionality. A reset button clears everything. It returns to the input view. This helps when comparing new code.

Common Use Cases

Code reviewers check pull requests. They paste original and updated code. They view differences visually. They understand changes quickly. They provide informed feedback.

Developers review their own changes. They compare code before and after modifications. They verify changes are correct. They check for unintended modifications. They ensure code quality.

Teams track code evolution. They compare versions over time. They understand how code changed. They track feature additions and bug fixes. They maintain code history understanding.

Developers debug issues. They compare working and broken code. They identify what changed. They find the cause of problems. They fix issues faster.

Code refactoring verification. Developers compare refactored code with original. They ensure functionality is preserved. They verify improvements are correct. They maintain code quality.

Learning from code changes. Developers study how others modify code. They understand coding patterns. They learn best practices. They improve their skills.

How to Use This Tool (Step-by-Step)

1. Open the Git Diff Viewer tool. You see two input fields side by side.
2. Paste your original code in the left field. This is the code before changes. Labeled as "Original code". The field shows character count as you type.
3. Paste your updated code in the right field. This is the code after changes. Labeled as "Updated code". The field shows character count as you type.
4. Optionally load sample code. Click "Try sample code" if fields are empty. This fills both fields with examples. It helps you see how the tool works.
5. Click the Compare changes button. The tool computes differences automatically. It switches to diff view. It shows statistics and highlighted changes.
6. Review change statistics. Check the badges at the top. Green badge shows additions count. Red badge shows deletions count. Total changes count appears too.
7. Choose your view mode. Click Split or Unified button. Split shows side-by-side comparison. Unified shows sequential changes. Switch modes as needed.
8. Read the diff display. Added lines appear with green background and plus signs. Removed lines appear with red background and minus signs. Unchanged lines appear normally.
9. Check line numbers. Original lines show old line numbers on the left. Updated lines show new line numbers on the right. Use numbers to locate changes in files.
10. Optionally get AI analysis. Click Get suggestions button. The tool analyzes changes intelligently. It provides overview and impact assessment. It lists key changes.
11. Review AI summary if generated. Read the overview explanation. Check the impact rating. Review the key changes list. Use insights to understand modifications.
12. Copy updated code if needed. Click the Copy button. The updated code copies to clipboard. Paste it where needed.
13. Switch views to compare. Try both split and unified views. See which works better for your code. Use the view that helps most.
14. Reset to compare new code. Click Reset button to return to input view. Clear fields and paste new code. Compare different versions as needed.

Calculations & Logic

Diff computation compares code line by line. The tool splits both inputs into lines. It compares each line position. It identifies matching and different lines.

Line comparison checks exact matches. Lines that match exactly are unchanged. Lines that differ are marked as changed. Missing lines are deletions. New lines are additions.

Hunk creation groups related changes. Each hunk represents a change section. Hunks include line numbers and content. They mark change types: added, removed, or normal.

Statistics calculation counts changes. Additions count lines added. Deletions count lines removed. Total changes is additions plus deletions. These numbers appear in badges.

Line number assignment tracks positions. Original lines keep their original numbers. Updated lines get new numbers. Numbers help locate changes in source files.

Split view rendering shows two columns. Left column shows original code with deletions. Right column shows updated code with additions. Unchanged lines appear in both columns aligned.

Unified view rendering shows one column. All changes appear sequentially. Added lines show with plus signs. Removed lines show with minus signs. Unchanged lines show normally.

Color coding uses standard conventions. Green backgrounds for additions. Red backgrounds for deletions. Normal backgrounds for unchanged lines. This matches common diff tools.

AI analysis processes both code versions. It identifies semantic changes. It explains modifications in plain language. It assesses impact level. It extracts key change points.

Impact assessment considers change scope. Large structural changes get high impact. Small fixes get low impact. Feature additions get medium impact. Ratings help prioritize reviews.

Local storage saves input automatically. Code persists between browser sessions. It helps when working on changes over time. Storage is client-side only.

Input validation checks length limits. Each field is limited to 100,000 characters. Exceeding limits prevents input. This ensures good performance.

Tips, Limitations & Best Practices

Paste complete code sections. Include enough context around changes. This helps understand modifications. Missing context makes diffs harder to read.

Use split view for side-by-side comparison. This makes differences obvious. Lines align for easy comparison. It works best for small to medium changes.

Use unified view for sequential reading. This shows changes in order. It works well for reviewing commit diffs. It provides compact viewing.

Check statistics first. Review addition and deletion counts. Understand change scope quickly. Large changes need more careful review.

Use AI analysis for complex changes. It explains modifications clearly. It helps understand impact. It provides key insights.

Review line numbers carefully. They help locate changes in source files. Use them when applying changes. They ensure correct modifications.

Copy updated code when ready. Use the copy button to save changes. Paste into your files. Ensure you have the correct version.

The tool compares line by line only. It does not understand code semantics. It shows text differences only. Use AI analysis for semantic understanding.

Large files may be slow. Input is limited to 100,000 characters per field. Very large files may not work well. Split large comparisons into sections.

AI analysis requires backend service. It may be unavailable sometimes. If analysis fails, review changes manually. Use your code knowledge.

Local storage saves automatically. Your code persists between sessions. Clear storage if needed. Use reset button to clear everything.

Sample code helps learning. Load samples to see how the tool works. Study the diff display. Understand change highlighting.

Compare complete functions or files. Partial comparisons may be confusing. Include full context. This makes diffs more useful.

Use the tool for code review. It helps spot changes quickly. It makes reviews more efficient. It improves code quality.