Comparing Settings, Pain Free

Whether you are comparing text based (e.g. .ini or .config) file settings between two environments or reapplying them after a migration or upgrade, the process does not need to be a painful one. Here are a couple of tools you can use to do the job quickly and without any needless gnashing of teeth.

Notepad++ is a free text editor that has a number of optional plug-ins. One of these is the Compare plugin, which allows you to open two documents side by side and easily locate the differences between them which are highlighted in line by the plugin and in a navigation bar on the side.

With a small investment, Compare It! is another great text editor that works the same way as the one above but also allows you to merge documents.

Do you have another favorite text editor or comparison tool? Let us know in the comments!