BinDiff

Intro

BinDiff is a cross-platform diff utility for binary files.

BinDiff intelligently compares two versions of a binary file, and creates a diff file that contains the differences between the two files.

Usage

Assume the two files are <file.old> and <file.new>, and that the resulting diff file is called <diff>. BinDiff allows you to execute two operations:

<diff> = <file.new> - <file.old>

and

<file.new> = <file.old> + <diff>

An example: you could use BinDiff when you regularly have to send updates of a large file over some communications line: instead of sending a complete update each time, you could send the complete file only once, and after that you could create a diff file between the original file and the updated file.

At the receiving side, this diff file can be used to create the updated file from the original file.

More Info

BinDiff is free for non-commercial uses. For commercial applications and licensing information: please contact [email protected].

BinDiff is built from a single C-source file that compiles on the following platforms: UNIX, Windows 95/98/NT, OS/2, MSDOS, Macintosh. A command-line user-interface is used on the first three platforms; a point-and-click interface is used on Macintosh.

Creating a diff file is quite processor- and memory intensive. On the other hand, using a diff file to create the updated file is a very lightweight and fast process.

Diff files created on one platform can be used on another platform. For example, this allows you to create diff files on Macintosh for use on Windows systems.

The BinDiff algorithm was published by Kris Coppieters in the May’95 issue of Dr. Dobbs Journal.