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HOW TO MAKE NOTEPAD++ COMPARE TWO FILES WITH A PLUGIN

By Amir M. Bohlooli
Updated Sep 7, 2023


Learn how to use Notepad++ to compare two files side-by-side and find the
differences between them.



Notepad++ is a free, open-source code and text editor jam-packed with many
features for casual users and programmers. It supports various programming
languages with custom syntax highlighting, auto-completion, and more.



The inclusion of sophisticated editing tools, user-defined style options, and
support for dozens of plugins is the icing on the cake. Despite all these,
Notepad++ doesn't come with a diff tool to let you compare files.

Fortunately, Notepad++ plugins enable you to make up for any missing features.
One such powerful plugin is the Notepad++ Compare plugin, which lets you see the
visual difference between two files.


1. INSTALL PLUGINS ADMIN FOR NOTEPAD++

Notepad++ Plugins Admin is a repository of plugins that extend the functionality
of Notepad++. You can use this feature to browse the repository and install
plugins such as Compare for Notepad++.

Plugins Admin is not installed by default, and you have to check it in the
Notepad++ installation wizard. If you've installed Notepad++, albeit without
Plugins Admin, you can safely uninstall the program without losing your data.
Once you've done that, you can reinstall Notepad++ with Plugins Admin.




When installing Notepad++, be mindful of the settings for Plugins Admin. On the
Choose Component screen, make sure to select the Custom option from the dropdown
list, then check Plugins Admin. Many users skip the installation steps. If you
do so, Plugins Admin will not install.

If your Notepad++ doesn't have Plugins Admin, and you're reluctant to reinstall
the program, you can manually install the Compare plugin. In that case, skip
this step and move on to the final part of the next step.




2. INSTALL THE COMPARE PLUGIN FOR NOTEPAD++

You can use the Plugins Admin to install, update, or remove plugins. A revamped
version came into effect in version 7.6 and above. It's better if you update
Notepad++ to get the best possible experience.




The Compare plugin is included in Plugins Admin, and you can easily install it
from there:

 1. Launch Notepad++.
 2. Navigate to Plugins > Plugins Admin.
 3. In the Plugins Admin window, type Compare in the search bar.
 4. Check Compare, then click Install.



Notepad++ will restart after installing the plugin. You should now see Compare
in the Plugins menu.




INSTALL THE COMPARE PLUGIN WITHOUT PLUGINS ADMIN

You can also manually install Notepad++ plugins without Plugins Admin. To do
this, you'll need to simply download the plugin's file and move it to the
Notepad++ plugins folder.

As of now, you can download the latest iteration of this plugin (version 2.0.2)
from the Compare plugin's GitHub. This particular release is compatible with
Notepad++ 8.2.2 and later. If you're using the older version of Notepad++ and
have no plan to upgrade the app, use version 2.0.1. Both 32-bit and 64-bit
versions are available.

 1. Download the Compare plugin from GitHub.
 2. Extract the file.
 3. Copy the content. This will be a .dll file and a folder containing two more
    files.
 4. Go to the Notepad++ installation folder.
 5. Open the Plugins folder.
 6. Create a new folder and name it ComparePlugin. The folder's name should be
    identical to the .dll file's name.
 7. Paste the files in the new folder.




Now, launch Notepad++ and go to the Plugins menu. You should see Compare there!
If you already had Notepad++ open, close it and open it again.




3. COMPARE TWO FILES IN NOTEPAD++

The compare plugin assumes you want to compare an old version of your work to
the new version. The plugin uses the old file as a comparison reference.

Open the two files you want to compare in Notepad++. To compare the two files,
go to the Plugins menu, open Compare, and then select Compare.




The Compare plugin will now put the files side by side and highlight their
differences. You can set any open file as the reference with Compare > Set as
First to Compare.


COLORS AND SYMBOLS

The Compare plugin uses various colors and symbols to denote the changes in your
file. The difference can be added, deleted, moved, or changed between lines.


 * Added (+): The line only exists in the new file and not in the old one. The
   highlight color is green.
 * Deleted (-): The line does not exist in the new file and is only present in
   the old file. The highlight color is red.
 * Moved: The line appears at a different location in the other file. The
   highlight color is blue.
 * Changed: Most of the line is identical in both files. You'll see any changes
   highlighted in orange.



The Compare > Detect Moves option allows you to show or hide icons for the
differences between the files.


NAVIGATION BAR

The navigation bar on the right side of Notepad++ is helpful for quickly
navigating big files and finding differences. In a big file, navigating the
whole file top-up and down to find the difference is difficult and
time-consuming. The navigation bar fulfills the dual role of both a sitemap and
a bookmark browser.



Click any area to scroll through your file. Since the navigation bar uses the
same convention for colors and symbols, you'll quickly identify the changes with
a glance.




VIEW MODES

By default, when you compare two files, Notepad++ displays them in a vertical
double-view mode. You can change the view mode by right-clicking the gripper—the
middle border between the two files—and choosing Rotate to the right or Rotate
to the left.



This splits the window horizontally or vertically. If you continue rotating,
your old file appears on the left, and the new file appears on the right.




4. EXPLORE THE SETTINGS AND FEATURES

When you select Compare from the Plugins menu, it'll expand to display all the
commands and options. The menu also lists keyboard shortcuts for those commands.



The Notepad++ Compare plugin offers many features similar to other diff tools
used for file comparison. Navigate to Compare > Settings to explore the settings
you can tweak.


 * Main Settings: The options listed here let you customize the file positions.
   First is determines whether you're comparing the old or new file. Old file
   position allows you to position the old file at the left or right view
   (top/bottom in vertical split). Single-view default lets you compare the
   active file in a single-view mode with the previous or next file.
 * Color Settings: This option allows you to set the color for
   Added,Deleted,Moved, and Changed lines. You can choose a different color,
   change the highlight color, and the highlight transparency.
 * Warn about encodings mismatch: This shows you a warning message when
   comparing two files with different encodings, such as ASCII and Unicode.
 * Wrap around diffs: Determines whether running the Next command after reaching
   the last diff should go to the first diff.
 * Go to first diff after re-compare: When unchecked, the caret position will
   not change after you re-compare the files.




There's an additional Ignore Spaces setting in the Compare menu. Checking this
will ignore the difference in spaces. This might be useful if you're editing
text strings; however, it would be best to uncheck this option for better output
when comparing codes.

The Compare menu also gives you access to two practical features: SVN Diff and
Git Diff. These features simplify comparing the current file version with a
local Git/SVN database, which is particularly useful for reviewing changes made
by collaborators while coding.




DISCOVER DIFFERENCES WITH NOTEPAD++

Notepad++ is a feature-packed code and text editor app, but it lacks a compare
feature. The good news is that you can customize Notepad++ to any level
depending on your needs and expand it with plugins.



The Compare plugin is a solid example that demonstrates the power of plugins.
The plugin adds the absent comparison feature to Notepad++, allowing you to
compare and analyze your files. With the Compare plugin, Notepad++ becomes an
even more comprehensive and versatile tool for your text and code editing
endeavors.


Readers like you help support MUO. When you make a purchase using links on our
site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Read More.


UPGRADE YOUR TECH IQ WITH OUR FREE NEWSLETTERS








By subscribing, you agree to our Privacy Policy and may receive occasional deal
communications; you can unsubscribe anytime.

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Related Topics
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About The Author
Amir M. Bohlooli • Senior Author


Amir is a senior author at MUO and a hardware writer at GameRant. He's a PharmD
student with a keen interest in clinical outcomes and Pharmacoeconomics. His
passion for data manipulation sparked during his early academic years, utilizing
spreadsheets for lab reports.

Inspired by his father's hobbies, Amir developed a knack for DIY projects,
building a quadcopter and a 3D printer in high school. At 18, he began writing
about 3D printing, and now contributes to MUO, covering productivity,
spreadsheets, music, and more.

Amir also enjoys creating music, although its categorization as such remains
open to interpretation. In addition to his academic pursuits, Amir is an avid
gamer, car enthusiast, and proud owner of a 1993 Mitsubishi.


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