---
id: icdiff
version: "2.0.10"
license: unclear
license_treatment: permissive
maintenance: aging
---

# icdiff — improved colored diff

License: permissive · Maintenance: aging · Downloads: 10.3M/mo

## What it is and what it does

Icdiff is a command-line tool that compares two files and displays their differences in a side-by-side colored format instead of the traditional unified diff. It runs as a standalone executable with no runtime dependencies, making it lightweight and easy to deploy. The tool supports recursive directory comparison, custom line filtering, context control, and integrates directly with Git, Subversion, and Mercurial as an external diff viewer.

The package is designed for developers and system administrators who need clearer visual feedback when reviewing file changes. It offers numerous display options including line numbering, background highlighting, whitespace visualization, and customizable color schemes. You can use it standalone or configure it as your version control system's default diff tool.

Use it for:

- Review code changes in Git by running `git difftool --extcmd icdiff` to see diffs side-by-side instead of unified format
- Compare configuration files across environments to spot differences in settings or deployments
- Recursively diff entire directory trees with `--recursive` to identify all changes between versions
- Integrate with Mercurial or Subversion as a custom diff viewer for consistent visual comparison across VCS tools
- Highlight specific line changes with `--line-numbers` and context control for focused code review

## Worth the install?

AI-flagged interpretation of the facts above — verify before relying.

Icdiff displays file differences in a side-by-side colored format, making it easier to spot changes than traditional unified diff output.

Yes. Icdiff is a low-friction, dependency-free utility with no security vulnerabilities, permissive licensing, and strong adoption (top 5000 PyPI packages). Install it if you prefer side-by-side diffs over unified format—it integrates seamlessly with Git and other VCS tools and costs nothing to try.

## Install

pip install icdiff
uv add icdiff
poetry add icdiff

## Installing icdiff

Before you install: Installation is straightforward with no runtime dependencies. The package is aging (last release 187 days ago) but remains actively maintained with a stable repository and strong community adoption.

License in practice: Licensed under the Python Software Foundation License (permissive), which is GPL-compatible and poses no restrictions on use or redistribution.

Quickstart:

pip install icdiff

icdiff left_file right_file

# Or use with git:
git difftool --extcmd icdiff

Verify before relying:

- Whether Python version support is truly unspecified or if there are practical constraints based on the codebase

## Package facts

- License: not declared (permissive)
- Python support: unspecified
- Install friction: low
- Maintenance: aging
- Downloads: 10.3M/month (top 5,000 on PyPI)
- Known vulnerabilities: none known

## Tags

side-by-side diff viewer, colored file comparison, visual diff tool, two-column diff display, improved diff output, git diff alternative, terminal diff viewer, diff-viewer, vcs-integration

[View on SkillFed](https://skillfed.io/packages/icdiff) · [View on PyPI](https://pypi.org/project/icdiff/)