---
name: "xmldiff"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "xmldiff"
version: "2.6.3-0.2"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/xmldiff"
---

# xmldiff(1)

Create a diff for two XML files

## NAME

**xmldiff** - Create a diff for two XML files

## SYNOPSIS

```
xmldiff [-h] [-v] [-f {xml,diff,old}] [-w] [-p] [-F F]
        [--unique-attributes [UNIQUE_ATTRIBUTES]]
        [--ratio-mode {accurate,faster,fast}] [--fast-match]
        file1 file2
```

## DESCRIPTION

**xmldiff is a library and a command-line utility for making diffs** **out of XML. This may seem like something that doesn't need a** **dedicated utility, but change detection in hierarchical data is** **very different from change detection in flat data. XML type formats** **are also not only used for computer readable data, it is also often** **used as a format for hierarchical data that can be rendered into human** **readable formats. A traditional diff on such a format would tell you** **line by line the differences, but that would not be readable by a human.** **xmldiff provides tools to make human readable diffs in those situations.**

## OPTIONS

- **-h, --help**

  **Display help and exit.**

- **-v, --version**

  **Display version and exit.**

- **-f, --formatter**

  **Possible choices: xml, diff, old** **Formatter selection.** **Default: "diff"**

- **-w, --keep-whitespace**

  **Do not strip ignorable whitespace.** **Default: False**

- **-p, --pretty-print**

  **Try to make XML output more readable.** **Default: False**

- **-*F***

  **A value between 0 and 1 that determines how similar nodes must be to match.**

- **--unique-attributes**

  **A comma separated list of attributes that uniquely identify a node. Can be empty.** **Unique attributes for certain elements can be specified in the format {NS}element@attr.** **Default: "{http://www.w3.org/XML/1998/namespace}id"**

- **--ratio-mode**

  **Possible choices: accurate, faster, fast** **Choose the node comparison optimization.** **Default: "fast"**

- **--fast-match**

  **A faster, less optimal match run.** **Default: False**

## EXAMPLE

**Common usage:**

```
    $ xmldiff file1.xml file2.xml
```

**Making an output a bit more human readable by structuring it with whitespace:**

```
    $ xmldiff -f xml -p file1.xml file2.xml
```

## SEE ALSO

**[xmlpatch(1)](/xmlpatch/1.md).**

## AUTHOR

**xmldiff was written by Lennart Regebro \<lregebro@shoobx.com\> and Stephan Richter \<srichter@shoobx.com\>.**

**This manual page was written by Thiago Andrade Marques \<thmarques@gmail.com\> for the Debian project (but may be used by others).**