---
name: "jsondiff-jdiff"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "python3-jsondiff"
version: "2.1.2-1"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/jsondiff-jdiff"
---

# jsondiff-jdiff(1)

Compare JSON and JSON-like structures

## NAME

jsondiff-jdiff - Compare JSON and JSON-like structures

## SYNOPSIS

```
jsondiff-jdiff [-s SYNTAX] [-i N] base-file target-file
jsondiff-jdiff [-s SYNTAX] [-i N] --patch base-file patch-file
jsondiff-jdiff -h
```

## DESCRIPTION

Compares two JSON files and returns a JSON representation of the differences between them.

Differences are represented according to the specified syntax and can be pretty-printed using a specified indentation.

The **--patch** option can be used to instead apply the changes described by a JSON diff to a JSON file.

## POSITIONAL ARGUMENTS

- **base-file**

  The first JSON file to compare. This is the source or base file.

- **target-file**

  The second JSON file to compare. This is the target or comparison file.

- **patch-file**

  The jsondiff patch file to apply. Only used with **--patch**.

## OPTIONS

- **-h**, **--help**

  Show a help message and exit.

- **-p**, **--patch**

  Instead of producing a difference file, apply the differences from the second file to the first file.

- **-s** SYNTAX, **--syntax** SYNTAX

  Define the output syntax. The available options are "compact", "symmetric", and "explicit". The default is "compact".

- **-i** INDENT, **--indent** INDENT

  Set the number of spaces for indentation in the output JSON. By default, no indentation is applied to the output JSON.