CodeItBro

XML Diff

Compare two XML documents side-by-side and highlight differences instantly. Perfect for config file changes, API responses, and data structure comparison.

Comparison Options
Original XML
⚠ Invalid
Modified XML
⚠ Invalid
+5 Additions
-5 Deletions
7 Unchanged

Comparison Result

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<root>
<user id="1">
<name>John Doe</name>
- <email>[email protected]</email>
- <role>admin</role>
+ <email>[email protected]</email>
+ <role>superadmin</role>
</user>
- <user id="2">
- <name>Jane Smith</name>
- <email>[email protected]</email>
+ <user id="3">
+ <name>Bob Wilson</name>
+ <email>[email protected]</email>
</user>
</root>

Compare XML Documents Instantly

Track changes in configuration files, compare API responses, or review data structure modifications. Our XML Diff tool highlights every addition in Green and deletion in Red.

Why Use This Tool?

Config File Changes

Track changes in web.config, pom.xml, AndroidManifest.xml, or any XML configuration files instantly.

API Response Comparison

Compare SOAP responses, XML APIs, or RSS feeds between production and staging environments.

Smart Formatting

Auto-format XML before comparison to get cleaner, more readable diff results without manual cleanup.

Privacy First

All processing happens in your browser. Your sensitive XML data never leaves your device.

How this XML Diff works

This XML comparison tool analyzes two XML documents line-by-line using a Longest Common Subsequence (LCS) algorithm to identify differences between them. The parser first validates XML syntax using the DOMParser API, ensuring both documents are well-formed before attempting comparison. If validation fails, the tool displays specific error messages to help users fix parsing issues.

The diff engine normalizes both documents by formatting them with consistent indentation before comparison, eliminating false positives caused by whitespace variations. Users can toggle options to ignore whitespace or comments entirely, focusing only on actual content changes. The LCS algorithm runs in O(n*m) time complexity, making it suitable for documents with thousands of lines.

The visual output displays additions in green, deletions in red, and unchanged lines in gray, similar to version control diff views. Statistics show counts of additions, deletions, and unchanged lines at a glance. All processing occurs client-side using JavaScript, ensuring complete privacy for sensitive configuration files, API responses, or data exports.

How to Use

1

Paste Original XML

Enter or upload your original XML document on the left.

2

Paste Modified XML

Enter or upload the modified version on the right.

3

View Differences

See highlighted changes: additions in green, deletions in red.

Example Usage

Comparing XML elements with name changes:

Input
<user><name>John</name></user>
Output
+ <user><name>Jane</name></user> - <user><name>John</name></user>

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the XML Diff tool do?
It compares two XML documents and highlights the differences between them. Added content appears in green, removed content in red, making it easy to spot changes.
Does it validate XML syntax?
Yes. The tool validates both XML documents before comparison. If there are syntax errors, they will be displayed so you can fix them before comparing.
Can I compare large XML files?
Yes. The tool handles large XML documents efficiently. For very large files, consider using the "Format before compare" option to get cleaner results.
What does "Ignore Whitespace" do?
When enabled, the tool ignores differences in spacing and line breaks, focusing only on actual content changes. This is useful when formatting differs between files.
Is this XML Diff tool secure?
Yes. It runs 100% client-side in your browser. Your XML data is never uploaded to any server, ensuring complete privacy.

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The XML Diff is maintained by CodeItBro. We aim to provide the best free developer tools on the web. If you have feedback or suggestions, please visit our contact page.