In the computer world, there is actually a type of software that specializes in the complicated process of comparing files. Technically, what this software does is it points out the differences that are determined in two files. The software actually indicates the changes that have been made for each line, especially where text files are concerned. The file comparison utility that is responsible for the display of such changes is what is known as the ?diff?. The diff is actually the output of the whole process. Another term for this is the ?patch?, primarily because what is known as a program patch actually brings out the output. So, when you hear the word diff, especially when you are dealing with jargon, you can then look at it as a verb. The literal meaning for this would then be to calculate differences. Interestingly, the first diff utility was actually developed as far back into the early portion of the 70s. It was the UNIX operating system that utilized the diff first. The utility was developed inside the AT&T laboratories in America.

Let us look at how the diff was used in the context of the operating system known as UNIX. What is known as the ?ed? line editor actually gives the diff the capability to produce ?edit scripts?, which can be used by the system's machine. The ?ed? line editor reconstitutes these edit scripts into what should be the modified file, especially when you save the changes that have been made. It is actually the ?ed? line editor that paves the way for the modified file to exist as a whole. This is a very important process because when a file has multiple versions created of it, this actually requires secondary storage. But with the performance of the ?ed? line editor, you can then reduce the usage of secondary storage.

When you look at modern and the more common usage of computers nowadays, the changes made via the implementation of the ?ed? line editor and the diff involve multiple versions of text files, such as Microsoft Word and Excel files. But when this tool was first introduced, the changes compared were actually for technical documents and for the analysis of computer assembly codes. More importantly, the creation of the diff and the ?ed? line editor paved the way for the creation of the Source Code Control System.

This is the technical side of the free file compare tools you can easily find on the web and other retail stores nowadays. The importance of such a tool is just something that you cannot overemphasize. Just imagine how tiring it would be to go through two versions of the same file, to determine which version is the one you should keep in your computer. Let us say that these are MS Word files. Imagine having to go through each and every word of these files to achieve your purpose! But with free file compare tools, this can be done in a jiff!