A file metadata diff compares the properties of two files — size, type, last modified date, and format-specific attributes like image dimensions or text encoding — without comparing their contents. Useful for verifying conversions, checking if files are identical before a deep diff, and auditing file properties.
| Property | File A | File B | Status |
|---|
How to Use the File Metadata Diff
The file metadata diff tool extracts and compares the properties of two files side by side — without reading or uploading the file contents. It is useful when you need to verify that a file conversion produced the correct output format, size, or dimensions, or when you want to quickly check whether two files could be identical before running a full content diff.
Step 1: Upload Two Files
Click "Choose File" or drag and drop a file onto each upload zone. The tool accepts any file type. Once both files are loaded, click "Compare Files" to extract and display their metadata side by side.
Step 2: Read the Comparison Table
Properties with matching values are highlighted in green. Properties with different values are highlighted in yellow — these are the differences that need your attention. Properties that are not applicable for a file type (like image dimensions for a text file) show as N/A and are highlighted in light gray.
What Properties Are Extracted
All files: name, file size (formatted in bytes, KB, MB, or GB), MIME type, and last modified date. Image files also get width and height in pixels. Text-based files (TXT, JSON, CSV, XML, HTML, JS, CSS) also get line count, character count, and UTF-8 BOM presence. The extracted properties adapt to the file type automatically.
Privacy and File Security
Your files are never uploaded to any server. All metadata extraction uses the browser's built-in File API. For image dimensions, a local Image() object is created in memory. For text file line counts, the file is read locally using FileReader. Nothing leaves your browser.
Common Use Cases
Check that a resized or re-exported image has the correct dimensions. Verify that a format conversion (DOCX to PDF, for example) produced the expected file size. Confirm that two supposed duplicates have identical sizes before running a slower byte-level comparison. Audit file metadata when preparing assets for a build or deployment pipeline.
FAQ
Is the file metadata diff tool free?
Yes, completely free with no account required. Files are never uploaded — all metadata extraction happens locally in your browser using the File API. Your files stay on your device.
What metadata does the tool extract?
For all files: name, size (formatted in KB/MB/GB), MIME type, and last modified date. For image files: pixel dimensions (width and height). For text files: line count, character count, and UTF-8 BOM detection.
Does the tool upload my files to a server?
No. All processing uses the browser File API and runs entirely client-side. Only metadata is extracted — file contents are read locally only when needed for text analysis (line counts). Nothing is transmitted.
What file types can I compare?
Any file type. Image files (JPEG, PNG, GIF, WebP, SVG) get dimension extraction. Text files (TXT, CSV, JSON, XML, HTML, CSS, JS) get line and character counts. All other files get the universal properties: name, size, type, and modified date.
Why are some properties shown as 'N/A'?
Some properties only apply to specific file types. Image dimensions are only available for raster images. Line counts only appear for text-type files. If a property cannot be extracted for a file type, it shows as N/A.
Can I compare files of different types?
Yes. Comparing a JPEG to a PNG, or a text file to a binary, is valid and often useful for checking if a conversion changed the expected file size or type. Mismatched properties are highlighted in yellow.