Three File Compare

A VS Code extension that compares 3 files side by side — like IntelliJ's 3-way diff.

Demo

If the embedded preview does not render in your current Markdown viewer, open the demo video directly.

Features

• 3-panel side-by-side diff — see all three files at once
• Synchronized scrolling — all panels scroll together
• Syntax highlighting — keywords, strings, types, functions, numbers
• Word-level diff — highlights exactly which words changed within a line
• Color-coded rows
  • 🟡 Yellow — line differs between panels
  • 🔴 Red — line exists in only one panel
  • Green/Red marks — intra-line word additions / deletions

Usage

Method 1 — Right-click in Explorer (recommended)

Right-click files one at a time in the file explorer:

1. Right-click the first file → Three File Compare: Add to Compare
2. Right-click the second file → Three File Compare: Add to Compare
3. Right-click the third file → Three File Compare: Add to Compare

The panel opens automatically when the 3rd file is added.

Tip: You can also select multiple files with Cmd/Ctrl+Click or Shift+Click in the explorer and right-click to add them all at once.

Method 2 — Command Palette

1. Open Command Palette (Cmd+Shift+P / Ctrl+Shift+P)
2. Run Three Compare: Compare 3 Files
3. Select exactly 3 files in the file picker

Navigating results

• Click a filename header to open that file in the editor
• All 3 panels scroll in sync — scroll any panel to navigate all
• Use Cmd/Ctrl+F inside the compare view to search with VS Code's built-in webview find widget

Legend