Today, October 8, 2026, I released the first public version of BuildDiff!
BuildDiff started from a fairly simple problem: when you're working on a software project, it can be useful to know exactly what changed between two builds or folder versions.
Instead of manually going through their contents, BuildDiff lets you select two folders and compare them recursively.
It reports:
- Added files and folders.
- Removed files and folders.
- Changed file contents.
- Unchanged entries.
- Basic file and folder movements.
You can also copy the results or download them as a plain-text report.
Privacy was an important part of the design. The folder comparison itself happens locally in your browser. Your selected files and comparison results aren't uploaded to BuildDiff's backend.
The first version is completely free, doesn't require an account, and primarily targets desktop Google Chrome.
It's deliberately a Minimum Useful Version. I want to find out whether developers genuinely find this useful before deciding what to build next.
Try it here: https://builddiff.dev5942b.workers.dev/
I'd be interested to hear how you normally compare builds, whether this would help your workflow, and what you think of the current version.
