Quick Start

Launch WinXMerge

# Launch with no arguments — opens the file selection dialog
cargo run --features desktop

# 2-way file comparison
cargo run --features desktop -- file1.txt file2.txt

# 3-way merge
cargo run --features desktop -- base.txt left.txt right.txt

Basic Workflow

1. Open Files

When you launch WinXMerge, the file selection dialog appears. Enter the paths for the left and right files (or folders), then click Compare.

• Check 3-way merge to specify a base file for three-way comparison
• Select from recent files for quick access

2. Navigate Diffs

Use the toolbar buttons or keyboard shortcuts to navigate between diff blocks:

Action	Shortcut
Next diff	Alt+↓
Previous diff	Alt+↑
First diff	Alt+Home
Last diff	Alt+End

3. Merge Changes

• Click Copy → or ← Copy in the toolbar to copy the current diff block
• Use inline ▶ / ◀ buttons between diff lines for per-block merging
• Copy & Advance copies the current block and moves to the next one

4. Save

Press Cmd+S (macOS) or Ctrl+S to save the merged file.

5. Tabs

Use Cmd+T to open a new tab for a separate comparison. Each tab maintains its own independent state.

Folder Comparison

Select two folders in the open dialog to start a recursive directory comparison. Double-click any file in the list to open a detailed diff view.

Next Steps

• File Comparison — detailed guide on 2-way diff
• 3-Way Merge — conflict resolution workflow
• Git Integration — use as git difftool / git mergetool