Editors often compare a before-and-after version of the same paragraph: a headline is clarified, attribution is added or a statistic is corrected. A text difference view makes those edits visible, but it cannot determine whether the new wording is accurate. Use a comparison as part of a human review, not as a substitute for it.
What a line diff shows
Our free text difference tool uses a line-level sequence comparison. Unchanged lines appear with a space prefix, deleted lines with a minus sign, and added lines with a plus sign. Moving a sentence between lines will often appear as a removal and an addition, even if the text is identical; this is a property of line matching, not proof of a substantive rewrite.
- Sales grew sharply last quarter.+ Quarterly sales grew 8%, according to the company’s earnings report.The new line is more specific, but the percentage and source still need verification against the original report.
Review changes in useful passes
- Accuracy: Look for changed dates, quantities, quotes, names and attributions; re-check each claim against its actual source.
- Meaning: Ask whether qualifiers were added or removed. “May” becoming “will” is a major editorial change even if only one word differs.
- Structure: Check paragraphs, headings, captions and link labels after revisions.
- Accessibility: Confirm alt text, table labels and clear linked phrases still fit the updated article.
- Discoverability: Review the page title, summary, internal links and share metadata after substantive copy changes.
Know the limits
The tool works locally with short text drafts, not a collaborative document history. It does not preserve author attribution, timestamps, comments or changes outside the pasted text. Do not treat its count of added lines as an impact score. For confidential content, follow your own editorial handling policies and avoid copying sensitive information into shared systems.
Save the result for a clean handoff
Download or copy the comparison and attach it to your normal editorial workflow when appropriate. Close the loop by checking the final published HTML on desktop and mobile, not only the plain text. The reader will experience layout, links, images and page speed in addition to prose.
Compare two drafts → · Polish a revised headline →