https://github.com/engossoftware/biff
Byte by byte file comparator
https://github.com/engossoftware/biff
byte comparator files
Last synced: 2 months ago
JSON representation
Byte by byte file comparator
- Host: GitHub
- URL: https://github.com/engossoftware/biff
- Owner: EngosSoftware
- License: apache-2.0
- Created: 2023-10-03T14:25:19.000Z (over 1 year ago)
- Default Branch: main
- Last Pushed: 2025-01-29T16:57:32.000Z (5 months ago)
- Last Synced: 2025-04-24T03:07:30.743Z (2 months ago)
- Topics: byte, comparator, files
- Language: Rust
- Homepage:
- Size: 76.2 KB
- Stars: 0
- Watchers: 0
- Forks: 0
- Open Issues: 1
-
Metadata Files:
- Readme: README.md
- Changelog: CHANGELOG.md
- License: LICENSE-APACHE
- Code of conduct: CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md
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README
# biff
[![Crates.io][crates-badge]][crates-url]
![Code coverage][coverage-badge]
![build Linux][build-badge-linux]
![build Windows][build-badge-windows]
![build MacOs][build-badge-macos]
[![MIT licensed][mit-badge]][mit-url]
[![Apache 2.0 licensed][apache-badge]][apache-url]
[![Contributor Covenant][cc-badge]][cc-url]
[crates-badge]: https://img.shields.io/crates/v/biff.svg
[crates-url]: https://crates.io/crates/biff
[mit-badge]: https://img.shields.io/badge/License-MIT-blue.svg
[mit-url]: https://github.com/EngosSoftware/biff/blob/main/LICENSE-MIT
[mit-license-url]: https://github.com/EngosSoftware/biff/blob/main/LICENSE-MIT
[apache-badge]: https://img.shields.io/badge/License-Apache%202.0-blue.svg
[apache-url]: https://github.com/EngosSoftware/biff/blob/main/LICENSE-APACHE
[apache-license-url]: https://github.com/EngosSoftware/biff/blob/main/LICENSE
[apache-notice-url]: https://github.com/EngosSoftware/biff/blob/main/NOTICE
[build-badge-linux]: https://github.com/EngosSoftware/biff/actions/workflows/build-linux.yml/badge.svg
[build-badge-windows]: https://github.com/EngosSoftware/biff/actions/workflows/build-windows.yml/badge.svg
[build-badge-macos]: https://github.com/EngosSoftware/biff/actions/workflows/build-macos.yml/badge.svg
[coverage-badge]: https://img.shields.io/badge/Code%20coverage-100%25-green.svg
[cc-badge]: https://img.shields.io/badge/Contributor%20Covenant-2.1-4baaaa.svg
[cc-url]: https://github.com/EngosSoftware/biff/blob/main/CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md
[repository-url]: https://github.com/EngosSoftware/biff
## Overview
Compare two files byte by byte.
**biff** compares two files byte by byte, and if they differ, tells the first byte and line number where they differ.
Additionally, when option `-l` or `--verbose` is set, **biff** will display all differing bytes.
**biff** may also skip some initial bytes in compared files or compare only up to requested number of bytes.
When comparing binary files, **biff** may check the beginning bytes if they match the specified _marker_, so only
files having such marker will be compared.
There are also some popular cases, when compared files differ only in few bytes, but generally may be considered
as _similar_ and this is quite alright. For such comparisons **biff** may use the absolute total number of acceptable
differences (option `-a` or `--absolute`) or percentage difference limit (option `-p` or `--percent`).
The most popular use case of such _similarity comparisons_ are PDF files generated
from the same HTML files using Headless Chrome.
The best fit for **biff** are test cases with output values being files.
## Installation
```
$ cargo install biff
```
## Usage
Display short description of **biff** options:
```
$ biff -h
```
Display detailed description of **biff** options:
```
$ biff --help
```
## Examples
### Files are equal
```shell
$ cat sample1.txt
Lorem ipsum.
$ cat sample2.txt
Lorem ipsum.
$ biff sample1.txt sample2.txt
$ echo $?
0
```
### Files are equal but starting from the 3rd byte
```shell
$ cat sample1.txt
LOrem ipsum.
$ cat sample2.txt
MArem ipsum.
$ biff -i 2 sample1.txt sample2.txt
$ echo $?
0
```
### Files are similar (difference limits)
```shell
$ cat sample1.txt
LoreM ipsum.
$ cat sample2.txt
LoRem ipsuM.
$ biff -a 3 sample1.txt sample2.txt
$ echo $?
0
$ biff -p 26.8 sample1.txt sample2.txt
$ echo $?
0
$ biff -q -p 26.8 sample1.txt sample2.txt
$ echo $?
0
```
### Files differ
```shell
$ cat sample1.txt
LoreM ipsum.
$ cat sample2.txt
LoRem ipsuM.
$ biff sample1.txt sample2.txt
sample1.txt sample2.txt differ: byte 3, line 1
$ echo $?
1
$ biff -b sample1.txt sample2.txt
sample1.txt sample2.txt differ: byte 3, line 1 is 114 82
$ echo $?
1
$ biff -bx sample1.txt sample2.txt
sample1.txt sample2.txt differ: byte 3, line 1 is 72 52
$ echo $?
1
$ biff -q sample1.txt sample2.txt
$ echo $?
1
$ biff -l sample1.txt sample2.txt
3 114 82
5 77 109
11 109 77
$ echo $?
1
$ biff -p 0.1 sample1.txt sample2.txt
sample1.txt sample2.txt differ: limit 0.1% exceeded by value 25.000%
$ echo $?
1
$ biff -a 1 sample1.txt sample2.txt
sample1.txt sample2.txt differ: limit 1 exceeded by value 3
$ echo $?
1
```
## License
Licensed under either of
- [MIT license][mit-url] (see [LICENSE-MIT][mit-license-url]) or
- [Apache License, Version 2.0][apache-url] (see [LICENSE][apache-license-url] and [NOTICE][apache-notice-url])
at your option.
## Contribution
Any contributions to [**biff**][repository-url] are greatly appreciated.
All contributions intentionally submitted for inclusion in the work by you,
shall be dual licensed as above, without any additional terms or conditions.