diffoscope

Diffoscope is a command line tool that compares files, directories, and archives. It is used for finding differences between two files or directories and displaying the differences in a human-readable format. It provides detailed information about the contents of files and highlights the differences, allowing users to identify even the smallest changes.

Diffoscope can be used to compare a wide range of files, including binary executables, text files, archives (such as ZIP or TAR), and firmware images. It supports various file formats and can handle different compression and encryption methods.

The tool performs a deep analysis of files, not just comparing their sizes or checksums. It examines the internal structure, metadata, and content of files to identify differences. It can handle various file types, such as text files, ELF executables, PDF documents, and more.

Diffoscope outputs a unified diff-like report that shows the differences between files in a clear and well-structured manner. It can handle complex cases involving binary files, container formats, and various data encodings. The tool also provides options to control the output and handle specific file types or cases.

Diffoscope is highly useful for tasks like software packaging, security auditing, reverse engineering, and ensuring the integrity of files. It helps in identifying and understanding changes made to files, including modifications, additions, deletions, or other alterations. The tool is open-source and actively maintained, making it widely used and trusted by developers, security experts, and other professionals in the software industry.