Git Branch Comparison

Compare Git branches without checkout

Stop stashing your work, switching branches, and switching back just to see what changed. DirectoryCompare Pro uses libgit2 to read branch content directly from the repository object store - your working tree stays exactly as it is, and you get a full folder diff in seconds.

No stash. No checkout. No cloning. Works with local repos and GitHub Standard tier - $39/yr or 7-day free trial Windows 10/11 and Linux x86_64
Try it free for 7 days Download now

The problem with comparing Git branches

The traditional workflow is a time sink - and it clobbers your working directory in the process.

The old way

  1. Stash or commit your current changes
  2. Note the current branch name
  3. git checkout branch-a
  4. Export or note what you want to compare
  5. git checkout branch-b
  6. Do your comparison
  7. git checkout original-branch
  8. Pop the stash and hope nothing breaks

Every step is a context switch. Every checkout is a risk if you have uncommitted changes.

With DirectoryCompare Pro

  1. Add your repository as a source, pick a branch
  2. Add the same repo again, pick the other branch
  3. Click Compare

Your working tree is never touched. You can compare any two branches - or any branch against your live working directory - without stashing a single file.

Under the hood: DirectoryCompare Pro uses libgit2 to read blobs directly from the Git object database. No branch checkout happens at any point.

How to diff Git branches in DirectoryCompare Pro

The workflow is four steps. You can have your comparison open in under a minute.

1

Add your repo as a source

Click "Add Source" and choose Git Repository. Point it at any local .git directory on your machine.

2

Pick the first branch

Select the branch or commit ref you want as the left side of the comparison. Tags and commit SHAs also work.

3

Add the second source

Add a second source - it can be the same repo on a different branch, a different local clone, a live folder, a ZIP archive, or a GitHub repository.

4

Click Compare

DirectoryCompare Pro reads both trees, builds the diff, and presents a full folder comparison with file-level status and per-file diff viewing.

Mix Git branches with live directories

One of the most useful workflows is comparing a Git branch directly against your current working directory. Add feature/new-ui as one source and your live src/ folder as the other. You can see immediately what your uncommitted changes add or remove compared to any branch - without running a single Git command.

What you can compare

Git sources in DirectoryCompare Pro are not limited to two local branches.

Local Git

Two branches, same repo

Add the same repository twice with different branch selectors. Works with local branches, remote-tracking branches, and any commit SHA.

GitHub REST API

GitHub repositories

Add a GitHub repository directly via the REST API. No cloning required. Compare branches or commits from any public or private repo you have access to.

Mixed Sources

Branch vs. live folder

Pair a Git branch source with a local folder, archive, or FTP path. The mixed-source capability means you can compare any committed state against any live state.

N-Way

Multiple branches at once

With N-way comparison you can load main, develop, and feature/xyz all at once and see where each branch diverges.

Archives

Branch vs. release archive

Compare a Git branch against a ZIP, TAR, 7Z, RAR, or ISO archive. Useful for verifying that a release build matches the tagged source.

Commits

Any commit SHA or tag

Not limited to branch tips. Enter any commit hash or tag name to compare a historical state against the current branch, another commit, or a live directory.

Ready to compare Git branches without the checkout dance?

Free 7-day trial, starts automatically on first launch. No sign-up required.

Download DirectoryCompare Pro

Frequently asked questions

Can I compare two branches in the same repository?

Yes. Add the repository path twice as two separate sources, then select a different branch for each. DirectoryCompare Pro treats each source independently, so the same repo path can appear multiple times with different branch selectors.

Does it work with GitHub repositories?

Yes. DirectoryCompare Pro can connect to GitHub via the REST API and compare branches or commits without cloning the repository locally. You provide a personal access token for private repos; public repos need no credentials.

Do I need Git installed on my machine?

No. DirectoryCompare Pro uses its own bundled libgit2 library to read Git repositories. The system-level git command is not required.

Does it modify my working tree or stash anything?

No. Reading branches through libgit2 is a read-only operation against the object database. Your working directory, index, and stash are completely untouched.

Is it free?

Git branch and GitHub comparison requires the Standard tier ($39/year). DirectoryCompare Pro includes a full 7-day trial that starts automatically on first launch - no sign-up needed. The Basic tier is free forever and covers 2-way local folder comparison.

Does it run on Linux?

Yes. DirectoryCompare Pro supports Linux x86_64. The Git integration via libgit2 works the same on Linux as on Windows.

Can I compare more than two branches at once?

Yes, with N-way comparison (Standard tier and above). You can add three or more Git branch sources simultaneously and see a consolidated diff view showing where all branches agree and where they diverge.

Use DirectoryCompare Pro as your Git mergetool

Register DCP as Git's merge conflict resolver. When you run git mergetool, Git opens DCP automatically with base, local, and remote versions pre-loaded. Resolve conflicts, save, done. Free in Basic tier — no paid license required.

Step 1 — Add to your .gitconfig

[mergetool "dcp"]
    cmd = "C:/path/to/DirectoryComparePro.exe" -m "$BASE" "$LOCAL" "$REMOTE" "$MERGED"
    trustExitCode = true

[merge]
    tool = dcp

Replace C:/path/to/ with the folder you extracted DCP into. Use forward slashes even on Windows.

Step 2 — Trigger it during a merge conflict

git merge feature/my-branch
# conflict!
git mergetool

Git calls DCP once per conflicted file. Resolve all hunks, click Save, close the window. Git marks the conflict resolved automatically.

Free

No license needed

3-way merge (base/mine/yours) is included in the free Basic tier. No registration, no trial expiry.

Exit codes

trustExitCode = true

DCP exits 0 when all conflicts are resolved and saved, 1 when you cancel. Git uses this to know whether to mark the file as resolved.

No install

Just unzip and point Git at it

DCP is a single portable exe. Drop it anywhere, update .gitconfig with the path, and you're done.