Windows
Linux
File Management
Compare
Windows comp equivalent in Linux
Compares files byte-for-byte and reports the first difference.
Windows
→
comp
Linux equivalents
cmp file1 file2
cmp file1 file2
cmp file1 file2
Overview
What this command does
Compares files byte-for-byte and reports the first difference.
Migration tip: Check the distro-specific rows before copying; package names and service names can differ even when the tool name is similar.
Practical tasks
Common use cases
Compare binary files
Compares files byte-for-byte and reports the first difference.
cmp file1 file2
Compare binary files
cmp --help
Show command help when supported
man cmp
Open the manual page when installed
Ready to run
Copyable Linux commands
Review paths, device names, package names and permissions before running any command.
cmp file1 file2
Walkthrough
Examples with explanations
# Windows equivalent: comp
cmp file1 file2Reference
Common options and variations
| Command or option | Use |
|---|---|
cmp file1 file2 | Compare binary files |
cmp --help | Show command help when supported |
man cmp | Open the manual page when installed |
Distro differences
Debian/Ubuntu vs Fedora vs Arch
The equivalent is shown for Debian/Ubuntu, Fedora and Arch. Some rows use a different package manager or helper tool where Linux distributions commonly diverge.
| Distribution | Package manager / base | Equivalent command | Difference to notice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian/Ubuntu | same command | cmp file1 file2 |
Same command on this distribution. |
| Fedora | same command | cmp file1 file2 |
Same command on this distribution. |
| Arch | same command | cmp file1 file2 |
Same command on this distribution. |
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