textcompare.org

Paste the original text into the left block and the modified text into the right block on textcompare.org, then click Compare. The tool shows both versions side by side and highlights deleted strings in red and added strings in green, along with a count of lines added and deleted. This works for plain text and code, requires no installation, and runs on any modern browser on Windows, Mac, or Linux.

Step-by-step: run a comparison

1. Open the Online Text Compare Tool in your browser.
2. Put the original version in the left pane. You can paste it, or use Choose Original File to load a file.
3. Put the modified version in the right pane, either pasted or via Choose Modified File.
4. Set the Language selector to Plaintext or the relevant code language so syntax highlighting matches your content.
5. Click Compare to generate the side-by-side diff view.
6. Check the result: red marks deleted strings, green marks added strings, and the tool reports how many lines were added and deleted.

If you want to start over, use Clear; Swap exchanges the two panes, which is useful when you pasted the versions in the wrong order. A Sample option lets you try the tool before using your own text.

How to read the diff view

The comparison is line-oriented and color-coded:

Use the arrows in the bottom-right corner of the diff view to jump from one difference to the next instead of scrolling through long files. The added/deleted line counts give a quick sense of how large the change is before you review details.

Reduce noise with display and ignore options

Small formatting differences can make a diff look busier than the actual content change. The tool offers options such as trim whitespace, render side by side, and word wrap. Trimming whitespace is the one to reach for when indentation or trailing spaces changed but the wording did not; it keeps the diff focused on real edits.

Two more features help with longer or messier files:

• Search finds every occurrence of a string, which is handy when you want to check whether a term was changed consistently.
• Beautify / Format Document reformats minified or badly indented code. Right-click the pane you want to format and choose Format Document, or click the Format button. This matters when comparing code copied from websites that minify their files, since formatting both sides first makes the structural diff readable.

Save, share, and privacy

The tool processes everything in your browser, so nothing is stored on the server unless you explicitly choose to save. That default matters if you are comparing configuration files, drafts, or anything containing internal details.

When you do want to share results, you have two paths with different privacy implications:

• PDF export saves the diff view as a file you can send privately.
• Public share saves the diff online and gives you a URL. Anyone with that link can view the comparison, so treat it as public. Saved data is described as encrypted and sent over a 128-bit SSL/TLS connection, but the share link itself is still accessible to whoever holds it.

There is no stated limit on the number of comparisons, so you can run as many as you need.

Common snags

• The diff is full of whitespace changes. Enable trim whitespace before comparing, or format both panes first if the content is code.
• Minified code produces one giant changed line. Use Format Document on each pane, then compare again.
• You pasted the versions backwards. Click Swap rather than re-pasting.
• You need to find a specific change in a long file. Use the navigation arrows or the search box instead of scanning manually.
• You are unsure whether your text left your machine. By default it does not; only saving to share online sends the diff to the server.

To compare two text files online, paste or upload the original text in the left pane and the modified text in the right pane on textcompare.org, then click Compare. The tool shows both versions side by side and highlights deleted strings in red and added strings in green, so you can see exactly what changed without installing software. This works for plain text and code in any modern browser on Windows, Mac, or Linux.

Before You Start

• Two versions of the text: the original and the modified copy. You can paste them directly or use Choose Original File and Choose Modified File.
• A modern browser such as Firefox, Chrome, or Edge. No installation is required.
• A decision on privacy: processing happens in your browser, and nothing is saved on the server unless you choose to save it for sharing.

Step-by-Step: Compare and Read the Diff

1. Load both versions

Copy the original text into the left block and the modified text into the right block. If you prefer files, use the file chooser buttons above each pane. A Sample option is available if you want to see how the tool behaves before using your own text.

2. Run the comparison

Click Compare. The view switches to a side-by-side comparison with differences highlighted in color.

3. Read the highlights

• Red marks strings that were deleted from the original.
• Green marks strings that were added in the modified version.
• The tool also calculates the number of lines added and deleted, which gives you a quick sense of the change size before you read line by line.

4. Move through each difference

Use the arrows in the bottom right corner of the diff view to jump from one difference to the next instead of scrolling. If you are looking for a specific string, use Search to find all occurrences.

5. Reduce noise with ignore options

Formatting-only changes can bury the real edits. Use options such as trim whitespace, render side by side, and word wrap to make the comparison easier to read. Trimming whitespace is especially useful when one version was reformatted or pasted from a different editor.

6. Format minified code first

If you are comparing code copied from a website, it may be minified into one long line. Right-click the pane you want to clean up and select Format Document, or click Format. Then compare again so the diff reflects logic changes rather than line-wrapping artifacts.

7. Export or share the result

• PDF Export: download the diff view as a PDF for private sharing.
• Public Share: save the diff online and share the URL. Saved data is sent over a 128-bit SSL/TLS connection, according to the site.

Quick Reference

Common Snags

• The diff is full of whitespace changes. Turn on trim whitespace before comparing.
• Everything looks like one changed line. The code is probably minified; format both panes first.
• You cannot find a specific edit. Use the navigation arrows rather than scrolling, and search for a known string near the change.
• You need to send the result to someone. Use PDF Export for a private copy, or Public Share if a link is acceptable. Note that saving online is a choice; browser-only processing means nothing is stored unless you save.

The tool places no limit on the number of comparisons, so you can repeat the process for as many file pairs as you need.

Paste the original text in the left pane and the modified text in the right pane on textcompare.org, then click Compare. The tool highlights deleted strings in red and added strings in green, and it also counts the lines added and deleted. This works for plain text and code, requires no installation, and runs in any modern browser on Windows, Mac, or Linux. The page states that processing happens in your browser, so nothing is saved on the server unless you choose to save it for sharing.

Step by step: run the comparison

1. Load the original text. Copy it into the left block, or use Choose Original File to load a file from your computer.
2. Load the modified text. Copy it into the right block, or use Choose Modified File. The Swap button exchanges the two sides if you pasted them in the wrong order.
3. Set the language. Use the Language selector; the default is Plaintext. Choosing the right language enables syntax highlighting in the diff view.
4. Click Compare. The two panes are shown side by side with differences highlighted in color.
5. Read the result. Red marks strings that were deleted from the original; green marks strings added in the modified version. The tool also reports how many lines were added and deleted.

If you just want to see how the tool behaves before using your own text, the Sample button loads example content, and Clear resets both panes.

Reading the diff without getting lost in noise

A raw diff can flag changes you don't care about, such as re-wrapped lines or trailing spaces. The tool provides options to reduce that noise:

• Trim whitespace — ignores whitespace-only differences, useful when text was reformatted but the content is the same.
• Word wrap — keeps long lines visible in the pane instead of scrolling horizontally.
• Render side by side — controls the side-by-side layout of the comparison.
• Search — finds every occurrence of a particular string, helpful when you want to check whether a specific term changed everywhere.
• Navigation arrows — the arrows in the bottom-right corner of the diff view jump between differences instead of scrolling manually.

For code that was minified or badly formatted, right-click the pane you want to clean up and select Format Document, or click the Format button. Beautifying both sides first often turns a wall of red and green into a small number of meaningful changes.

Saving, exporting, and sharing the result

• PDF export — download the diff view as a PDF to share privately.
• Public share — save the diff online and share its URL. This is the point where content leaves your browser, so only use it for material you're comfortable publishing.
• Private sharing — download the diff instead of saving it online.

The page states that saved online data is encrypted and sent over a 128-bit SSL/TLS connection.

What the tool does and doesn't do

The site links to a Pricing page, so check that page directly if you need current plan details; the feature description above doesn't state which features are free.

Common snags and how to handle them

• Everything looks changed. Try enabling trim whitespace and formatting both documents first; line-ending or indentation differences are the usual cause.
• The diff is hard to scan. Use the navigation arrows to step through changes one at a time rather than reading the whole pane.
• You pasted into the wrong side. Click Swap rather than re-pasting.
• You need a record for someone else. Export to PDF for private sharing, or use public share only when the content is safe to publish.

If you're new to Ahrefs and want to run your first SEO audit, the fastest path is: open Site Explorer, enter your target URL, review the Overview for a health snapshot, then dig into Organic Keywords, Top Pages, and Site Audit to find specific problems. From there, build a short prioritized to-do list instead of trying to fix everything at once.

This tutorial walks through that workflow using a realistic starting scenario, explains what the numbers mean, and shows how to turn findings into actions.

Before You Start: Pick a Narrow Scope

A common beginner mistake is auditing an entire large website on day one. The reports become overwhelming, and you can't tell which issues matter.

Instead, choose one of these starting points:

• A single important page (your homepage or a key product/service page)
• A small site (under ~50 pages, e.g., a personal blog or small business site)
• One section of a bigger site (e.g., /blog/)

For this tutorial, assume you're auditing a small business site with about 30 pages. The same steps scale up later.

You'll need an Ahrefs account to follow along. Ahrefs offers paid plans, and pricing and feature limits change over time, so check the current Pricing page for what's included in each tier before committing.

Step 1: Enter Your Target in Site Explorer

Site Explorer is Ahrefs' core tool for analyzing any website or URL.

1. Open Site Explorer from the top navigation.
2. In the search box, paste your domain (e.g., example.com).
3. Choose the Exact URL or Domain mode depending on scope. For a full-site view, use Domain or Prefix; for a single page, use Exact URL.
4. Press Enter.

You'll land on the Overview report. Don't try to absorb everything — focus on four numbers first.

Reading the Overview Snapshot

Important caveat: Ahrefs' traffic and keyword numbers are estimates based on its own data. They won't match Google Search Console or your analytics exactly. Treat them as directional, not absolute.

Step 2: See What You Already Rank For

Go to Organic Keywords in the left sidebar. This shows queries where your site appears in search results.

Sort by Traffic (descending) to see which pages bring the most estimated visitors. Then look for:

• Keywords ranking in positions 4–15 — these are often the easiest wins. A small content or on-page improvement can push them onto page one.
• Keywords with high volume but low position — potential opportunities if the topic is relevant.
• Irrelevant keywords — if you rank for something off-topic, it may signal thin or mismatched content.

Write down 5–10 of the position 4–15 keywords. These become your first optimization targets.

Step 3: Find Your Best and Weakest Pages

Open Top Pages. This ranks your URLs by estimated organic traffic.

Look for two things:

1. Your top performers — understand what topics and formats work. Can you create more content like this?
2. Pages with traffic but poor rankings — these may need on-page fixes (title, headings, internal links).

If a page gets zero traffic and targets a topic you care about, it's a candidate for a rewrite or consolidation.

Step 4: Run a Technical Site Audit

Now move to Site Audit. This crawls your site and flags technical and on-page issues.

1. Click Site Audit → New project.
2. Enter your domain and set crawl settings (default is usually fine for a small site).
3. Start the crawl and wait for it to finish.

Once complete, you'll see a Health Score and a list of issues grouped by category.

Which Issues to Fix First

Not all issues are equal. Prioritize in this order:

Ignore low-impact warnings (like minor meta description length) until the big items are handled.

Step 5: Turn Findings Into a To-Do List

You now have raw data. Convert it into a short, actionable list. Example:

1. Fix 3 broken links found in Site Audit.
2. Rewrite title tags on 5 pages with duplicate titles.
3. Improve 4 pages ranking in positions 6–12 by adding missing subtopics and internal links.
4. Remove or update 2 thin pages with no traffic.

Keep the list to 5–10 items max for your first audit. Finishing a short list beats starting a long one.

Common Beginner Mistakes

• Chasing every red flag. Site Audit flags many minor issues. Fix what affects rankings and users first.
• Trusting estimates as exact numbers. Ahrefs data is modeled, not measured from your analytics.
• Auditing a huge site too early. Start small to learn the interface.
• Ignoring search intent. A page can be technically perfect but still fail if it doesn't match what searchers want.
• Forgetting to re-crawl. After fixes, run Site Audit again to confirm improvements.

Where to Go Next

Once your first audit is done:

• Compare with competitors using Site Explorer's Competing Domains and Content Gap reports.
• Track keyword rankings over time with Rank Tracker.
• Explore backlink opportunities in the Backlinks and Link Intersect reports.
• Set up recurring Site Audit crawls so new issues surface automatically.

Your first audit isn't about perfection — it's about building a repeatable habit: enter a target, read the key reports, pick the highest-impact fixes, and act. Do that once a month and your site's health compounds.