How to Compare Two Python Files in VS Code
When working on Python projects, it’s common to need to compare two files side by side to identify differences or merge changes. Visual Studio Code (VS Code) offers a convenient way to compare two Python files using its built-in diff tools. In this article, we will guide you through the process of comparing two Python files in VS Code.
1. Open VS Code and navigate to the directory containing the two Python files you want to compare.
2. Open the first Python file you want to compare by clicking on it in the Explorer sidebar or using the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + O (Cmd + O on macOS).
3. Once the first file is open, you can either click on the second file in the Explorer sidebar or use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + K, Ctrl + E (Cmd + K, Cmd + E on macOS) to open the Quick Open panel.
4. In the Quick Open panel, type the name of the second Python file you want to compare and press Enter.
5. Now, both Python files should be open in VS Code. To compare them, you can right-click on the second file’s tab and select “Compare With” followed by “Active File.” This will open a split view with both files side by side.
6. The split view will display the differences between the two files. You can navigate through the differences using the arrow keys or by clicking on specific lines.
7. To resolve the differences, you can make changes directly in the split view or copy the changes from one file to the other by clicking on the “Copy All Changes from Left” or “Copy All Changes from Right” buttons in the bottom toolbar.
8. If you want to merge the changes into a single file, you can right-click on the split view and select “Merge Files.” This will open a new window where you can manually merge the changes.
9. Once you have finished comparing and resolving the differences, you can close the split view by clicking on the “X” button in the bottom right corner of the split view or by pressing Ctrl + K, Ctrl + C (Cmd + K, Cmd + C on macOS).
By following these steps, you can easily compare two Python files in VS Code and make the necessary changes to merge or resolve differences. The built-in diff tools in VS Code provide a convenient and efficient way to work with multiple files in your Python projects.
