A plain text diff makes any two JSON files look different if the formatting or key order changed. This tool compares the data itself and lists what was actually added, removed or changed, with the path to each. That makes it good for comparing API responses, configs and exports.
How to use it
- Paste the original JSON in the first box.
- Paste the changed version in the second.
- Read the list of differences.
- Use the paths to find each one in your data.
When it helps
- Comparing API responses before and after a change.
- Reviewing configuration updates.
- Finding what differs between two exports.
- Debugging unexpected test data.
Good to know
- Arrays are compared position by position.
- Key order inside objects doesn't matter.
- Long values are shortened in the list so it stays readable.
How the comparison works
The tool parses both documents and walks through them together. For objects it compares keys, regardless of order, and for arrays it compares by position. Anything present in one and not the other is reported as added or removed, and anything with a different value as changed, with the path to it.
Because it works on the data, formatting differences such as spaces and key order don't show up.
Worked example: a configuration change
Compare two versions of a config where the age changed from 30 to 31, a tag was replaced, a city changed and a new key appeared. The output lists each, such as ~ age: 30 to 31 and + active: true, with paths like address.city for nested values.
That's much easier to review than a raw text diff when the files are large.
Limits to know about
Array comparison by position means that inserting an item near the start makes everything after it look changed. If order isn't meaningful for your data, sort arrays by a key first.
The tool compares values exactly, so 1 and 1.0 are equal but 1 and "1" aren't.
Comparing in practice
Before comparing, pretty-print or sort keys if you want to also see the files side by side elsewhere. When comparing responses from two environments, expect differences in ids and timestamps, and ignore those once you've seen them.
For repeated checks, save a known-good file and compare each new result against it.
Comparing configuration safely
Config files often contain secrets. Paste only what you need, or remove sensitive values first. Because everything is done in your browser nothing is uploaded, but your clipboard and browser history may still hold copies.
Use this tool for structure and logic changes, and handle secrets separately.
Ordering and formatting
Because formatting doesn't affect the comparison, you can paste minified and pretty-printed versions side by side. Only the data counts.
Questions
What do the symbols mean?
Plus is added, minus is removed, tilde is changed.
Does it check types?
Yes. The number 1 and the text "1" are different.