File comparison

Diff Raven

v1.0

Use Diff Raven to compare CSV, JSON, YAML, XML, JSONL, TOML, INI, .env, .properties, text, and Markdown with side-by-side diffs and readable change review instead of a raw diff dump.

Start here

Compare two JSON documents

Paste or upload two JSON documents and Diff Raven will compare nested objects and arrays by path.

Choose JSON when both sides are structured JSON documents.

Use JSON A for the previous payload, baseline config, or earlier API response.

Use JSON B for the newer payload or target response. Diff Raven compares object keys by path and arrays by index in v1.

JSON comparison results

Ready for a JSON diff

Paste or upload two JSON documents to compare configs, API responses, or structured exports.

  • Object keys compare by path, not by source order.
  • Arrays compare by index in Diff Raven v1, so reordered arrays appear as changed positions.
  • Review the changed values directly in Diff Raven after the comparison runs.

Diff workflow playbook

Start narrow when comparing CSV

Use row order when you are checking two quick exports from the same source. Move to key columns when row order is unstable or when the same records can move around between runs.

Pick business identifiers, not display fields

For CSV, choose keys like id, sku, or email instead of names or labels. Stable identifiers reduce false diffs and make changed-row output trustworthy.

Read structured arrays carefully

JSON, YAML, TOML arrays, JSONL entries, and normalized XML child lists compare by index in Diff Raven v1. If an upstream system reordered a list, the report will treat those positions as changed elements.

Use line diff for prose and docs

Text and Markdown compare line by line with the same side-by-side layout and highlight colors. That is usually better for release notes, READMEs, prompts, and draft documents than forcing them into a structured parser.

FAQ

What file types can Diff Raven compare now?

Diff Raven supports CSV, JSON, YAML, XML, JSONL or NDJSON, TOML, INI, .env, .properties, text, and Markdown. Structured formats use side-by-side value diffs, while text formats use side-by-side line diffs.

Does Diff Raven try to merge my data?

No. It explains the differences between two inputs. It does not rewrite, merge, or mutate the original data.

Can I compare uploaded files instead of pasted text?

Yes. Each side accepts either pasted text or a local file upload. If you provide both on one side, Diff Raven uses the pasted text so you can quickly edit before running the comparison.

What happens when a file is malformed?

Diff Raven stops and shows the parser error for the selected format instead of guessing. For CSV it expects a header row, for structured formats it normalizes parsed data into a side-by-side diff, and for text formats it compares lines directly.

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