Apple includes a basic file comparison program called FileMerge with its developer toolkit. There’s DeltopiaĭeltaWalker Oro, a less expensive option with similar features, and Softhing’sįile Compare 1.1, a more limited program that’s free. Merge has some tough competition, though. (Currently, Merge only allows you to see that the images are different, but not to make corrections.) For developers, comparing code changes becomes easy and intuitive, as opposed to very complex, frustrating, and time-consuming. There’s even a way to see minor differences between two images by inspecting the binary code. Or a journalist who has several drafts of an article can see the changes between document versions. The professional edition I tested actually lets you compare three files or folders, while the standard edition lets you compare two.įor example, if a law firm needs to compare the historical record of a document to a newly updated file, a clerk can quickly see the differences between the files via color coding.

You can then merge one file into the other if you choose. The name is a slight misnomer: its purpose is to check the contents of two files and reveal the differences between them. But Araxis Merge 2009, a powerful file comparison utility, can get you out of a tight spot at work. ICal ( ) helps you stay on time for meetings. Very few applications are in the “save your job” category.

Araxis merge professional edition