The diff viewer puts two G-code files side by side and makes differences visible: both toolpaths are overlaid in the same 3D viewer, so changed moves, depths and feeds stand out in color. That way you check before the machine run whether a revised file really contains only the intended changes.
Typical use cases: checking a new program revision against the proven one, tracing the effect of changed parameters such as step-down or holding tabs, or making sure after a CAM or post-processor switch that the machine still runs the same paths.
The files are read and compared directly in the browser; nothing is uploaded to a server.
The diff viewer does not load in this view without JavaScript. Open www.step2gcode.com/diff in your browser.
The diff viewer overlays the toolpaths of both files in the 3D viewer, so geometric changes such as a moved pocket, a different milling depth or additional paths become visible at a glance, without reading the code line by line. Changed feeds and sequences can be traced the same way.
No. The diff viewer compares any G-code files, regardless of which CAM program or post-processor generated them. The only requirement is readable text G-code as processed by GRBL, Mach3 or LinuxCNC – the standard format of practically all hobby and workshop controllers.
No. Both files are read and compared directly in the browser; nothing is uploaded to a server. That makes the diff viewer suitable even for programs that must not leave your machine, for example from ongoing customer projects.
Mainly as a safety net: when a proven program has been changed – new step-down, different holding tabs, another post-processor – the comparison shows whether only the intended spots really changed. That avoids the risky blind run of a new program revision on the workpiece.