Often we need to know the differences between files.
For text files we get the differences with diff and for binary
files we use cmp. If no output is given, then
the files are the same:
% diff prog.f prog2.f Compare two Fortran programs. % No output, identical files. % diff pert2.f pert3.f Another example. 4c4 Line 4 in pert2.f, line 4 in pert3.f. < PROGRAM PERT2 ... Lines in file 1. > PROGRAM PERT3 ... Lines in file 2
If you are tired of no one giving you a yes-no answer anymore, then
the cmp command is for you (particularly since you do not want to read or print binary files). As an example, we ask the
shell if the program pert in rubin's directory is the same as
the one in the present directory:
% cmp /u/rubin/pert pert Compare binary, executable, files. /u/rubin/pert pert differ: char 25 line1