---
name: "File::Compare"
section: "3pm"
platform: "linux"
package: "perl-5.004-doc"
version: "5.004.05-6"
release: "Debian 2.2 (Potato)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/File::Compare/3pm"
---

# File::Compare(3pm)

Compare files or filehandles

## NAME

File::Compare - Compare files or filehandles

## SYNOPSIS

```
        use File::Compare;
```

```
        if (compare("file1","file2") == 0) {
            print "They're equal\n";
        }
```

## DESCRIPTION

The File::Compare::compare function compares the contents of two sources, each of which can be a file or a file handle.  It is exported from File::Compare by default.

File::Compare::cmp is a synonym for File::Compare::compare.  It is exported from File::Compare only by request.

## RETURN

File::Compare::compare return 0 if the files are equal, 1 if the files are unequal, or -1 if an error was encountered.

## AUTHOR

File::Compare was written by Nick Ing-Simmons. Its original documentation was written by Chip Salzenberg.