AnyTool
Your files never leave your device. All processing happens locally in your browser.

How to compare two folders and see what changed in the browser?

Open AnyTool Folder Diff, pick Folder A and Folder B, and click Compare. It hashes every file (SHA-256) in a Web Worker, then shows added, removed, changed, renamed and identical files in a tree with click-to-view line diffs. All processing stays 100% in your browser - no upload.

  • Recursive folder compare: added / removed / changed / renamed / identical
  • Rename and move detection by content hash - not just add plus delete
  • Click any changed text file for a split or unified line diff
  • 100% in your browser - no upload, no signup, works offline

What is

Folder Diff

A folder diff compares two directories and reports which files were added, removed, changed, or renamed, and shows the line-by-line differences inside the files that changed.

Developer Tools

Related terms

Directory CompareFile DiffRename DetectionSHA-256 Hash

Frequently Asked Questions

No. Every file is read, hashed and diffed locally in your browser - nothing is uploaded.

No files leave your device. AnyTool Folder Diff reads each file, computes a SHA-256 hash in a Web Worker, and runs the line diff locally. There is no server, no upload, and it works offline.

Yes. Files with the same content hash at a new path are flagged as renamed instead of a noisy add plus delete.

Yes. Folder Diff matches files by their SHA-256 content hash, so a file that moved or was renamed shows as a single rename rather than a separate deletion and addition. This is a feature most online folder comparers lack.

Firefox and Safari do not expose a local folder picker, so you select multiple files instead and paths are matched by name.

The folder picker uses webkitdirectory, which works in Chrome, Edge and Brave. Firefox and Safari do not support local-disk folder pickers, so the tool falls back to multi-file selection and matches files by their relative paths. The same fallback is used on mobile.

Click any changed or renamed text file in the tree to open a split or unified line diff with add and remove coloring.

Select a changed text file in the file tree and the tool computes the diff with jsdiff in a Web Worker, showing a side-by-side or unified view with added and removed lines highlighted. Files over 2 MB skip the line diff and are compared by hash to stay fast.

Detailed Explanation

Methodology

How AnyTool Folder Diff Works

The tool reads two folders the user picks and hashes every file with SHA-256 inside a Web Worker, streaming progress as it goes. It then matches files by relative path to classify each as added, removed, changed or identical, and matches leftover files by content hash to detect renames and moves. Changed text files are diffed line-by-line with jsdiff on demand.

  • Uses SHA-256 content hashing for equality
  • Compares by relative path, then by hash for renames
  • Line diffs computed with jsdiff in a Web Worker
  • Live progress bar while hashing
Technical Details

Rename and Move Detection

Most browser folder comparers report a renamed or moved file as a deletion plus an addition. AnyTool matches files that share the same SHA-256 content hash at a different path and labels them as a single rename, which keeps the diff readable. Rename detection requires the Web Worker hashing to run and can be toggled off.

  • Renames matched by identical content hash
  • Shows one rename instead of add plus delete
  • Requires worker-based hashing
  • Toggleable in the options panel
Privacy & Security

Privacy and Honest Client-Side Limits

All hashing and diffing happen in the browser, so no files are uploaded and the tool works offline. The trade-offs are browser-imposed: the native folder picker (webkitdirectory) works in Chrome, Edge and Brave, while Firefox, Safari and mobile fall back to multi-file selection. Binary files are compared by hash only, and files larger than 2 MB skip the line diff to stay responsive.

  • No upload, no server, works offline
  • Folder picker limited to Chromium browsers; others use multi-file selection
  • Binary files compared by hash, not rendered
  • Line diff skipped above 2 MB per file
AnyTool Folder Diff vs typical online folder comparers
CapabilityAnyToolTypical alternative
Privacy / no uploadYes - 100% client-sideOften server-side upload
PriceFree, no signupFreemium or paywall
Rename / move detectionYes - by content hashUsually none (shows add plus delete)
Line-level diffsSplit and unifiedOften basic or none
Export reportJSON, CSV, summaryOften gated or absent

Diffchecker locks folder diff behind a paid plan; FolderManifest and DiffNow upload files with small size caps.