KDiff3
118 likes
KDiff3 is a file and directory diff and merge tool.
Cost / License
- Free
- Open Source
Application typeApplication types
Platforms
- Mac
- Windows
- Linux
- Flathub
- KDE Plasma
Features
Highlights All activities
KDiff3 News & Activities
Recent News
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Recent activities
DcXor added KDiff3 as alternative to Placide Compare- Iago Passos added KDiff3 as alternative to LibreMerge
Ryota Kimura added KDiff3 as alternative to Diff Pro Max
Paul added KDiff3 as alternative to Riffle for macOS
Moorey79 added KDiff3 as alternative to Directory Compare Pro
What's on my PC?
This is what I install on a new computer. Strong preference towards free and open source software. Hand picked.
Linux
Daily used app by me.
What's on my 2024 Linux Laptop
A list with 53 apps by amenthes without a description.








Comments and Reviews
I was really happy to discover that KDiff3 was resurrected in 2018 after being unmaintained since 2014. While my favorite recursive dir/file comparison tool is WinMerge, that is Windows only.
KDiff3 was the next best option for Linux/Mac. It works quite well for comparing recursive dirs/files for large backups. You can do a quick compare (size only) or a full binary compare.
https://download.kde.org/stable/kdiff3/?C=M;O=D 12/24 The installation doesn't run on my Win10 This program seemed fast at comparing in the past, but didn't have a menu tool to shift elements left or right. Perhaps this shines for long file comparison in speed. Perhaps there are other special features that I'm not seeing.
Potential malware. Downloaded and ran the installer, which had TWO separate screens trying to get you to install other software (PUPs), using a very scummy practice of moving the button to continue the installation to the other side of the installer and placing the button to accept the installation of this additional software where the mouse is, so if you click through quickly you'll end up accidentally installing it. As if that wasn't bad enough. after the install, it didn't run, it's not in the start menu, and it's not in add/remove programs, so not sure what it did, but based on their clearly poor ethics, it's very suspicious. And on top of all that, it opens a website (Softsonic), which I HATE when software does that, and the website says the software is out-of-date, so they're taking you to a website, without your permission, that they're clearly not even looking at. This whole software, and the team associated with it, is a joke and should be blocked by AVs.
Simple and effective, if a bit outdated visually.
Official Website is for Linux installer only ... https://kde.org/applications/development/org.kde.kdiff3 ... not a hint of Windows anywhere. Latest Linux appears to be v1.8 (Feb-2020) https://cgit.kde.org/kdiff3.git
Windows version is older v0.9.98 (2014-07-04) on http://kdiff3.sourceforge.net/ _Softpedia have Windows version too https://www.softpedia.com/get/Office-tools/Text-editors/KDiff3.shtml_
Those are all outdated links. You can get the URL for Linux/Win/Mac binary downloads from the README https://invent.kde.org/sdk/kdiff3
[https://invent.kde.org/sdk/kdiff3 Readme Quote]: Binaries can be downloaded at https://download.kde.org/stable/kdiff3/?C=M;O=D
Much faster than Meld on Windows, good for working with SVN
I have two CSV files that only differ in the date format: YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS vs. M/D/YYYY HH:MM.
KDiff3 takes 25 seconds to compare these files and freezes. Bug filed at https://sourceforge.net/p/kdiff3/bugs/217/.
At least the authors of Kdiff don't go around spamming review sites with their shilling.