macOS
Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install diff-pdflocal Homebrew formula metadata
MacPortsverified · 94%
sudo port install diff-pdfMacPorts ports tree · graphics/diff-pdf/Portfile · source: api.github.com
brew
Install diff-pdf with Homebrew, apk, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, scoop, zypper
Visually compare two PDF files. Version 0.5.3 via Homebrew; verified 2026-05-14.
install
Additional install commands
Linux
Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%
sudo apk add diff-pdfAlpine Linux edge package indexes · diff-pdf · source: dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org
Fedora dnfverified · 92%
sudo dnf install diff-pdfFedora Rawhide package metadata · diff-pdf · source: dl.fedoraproject.org
Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#diff-pdfnixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/di/diff-pdf/package.nix · source: api.github.com
Arch Linux pacmanverified · 92%
sudo pacman -S diff-pdfArch Linux sync databases · diff-pdf · source: geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com
openSUSE zypperverified · 92%
sudo zypper install diff-pdfopenSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · diff-pdf · source: download.opensuse.org
Windows
Scoopverified · 92%
scoop install extras/diff-pdfScoop official bucket manifest trees · bucket/diff-pdf.json · source: api.github.com
overview
Package summary
Visually compare two PDF files
Project links
Commands and aliases
- diff-pdf
history
Project history and usage
diff-pdf is a small visual comparison tool for PDF files. It can act like a quiet CLI checker through exit status, emit a highlighted diff PDF, or open a simple viewer for page-by-page inspection.
Project history
The upstream GitHub repository was created in 2009 and describes diff-pdf as a simple tool for visually comparing two PDF files. The README now labels the project as provided as-is and not actively developed, while still welcoming patches.
The project has kept a traditional autotools build and depends on wxWidgets, Cairo, and Poppler. GitHub releases show continuing tagged maintenance from the 0.3 series in 2019 through 0.5.3 in 2026.
Adoption history
diff-pdf became useful to packagers because it fills a precise automation gap: comparing rendered PDFs in CI, document workflows, and release checks where textual diffs do not describe visual output. The README documents installation through Windows release ZIPs, Chocolatey, Homebrew, MacPorts, Fedora/CentOS packages, and openSUSE builds.
How it is used
Common usage is diff-pdf a.pdf b.pdf for an exit code, --output-diff=diff.pdf for a marked-up artifact, or --view for an interactive GUI. That mix makes it useful both in scripts and in manual document review.
Why package nerds care
The package is a good example of Unix packaging around graphical document infrastructure: a CLI front end with GUI mode, native library dependencies, and real value in reproducible document testing.
Timeline
- 2009: The vslavik/diff-pdf GitHub repository is created.
- 2019: Version 0.3 appears in GitHub releases.
- 2021: Version 0.5 is released.
- 2026: Version 0.5.3 is released.
Related projects
- Poppler, Cairo, wxWidgets, Chocolatey, Homebrew, MacPorts, and openSUSE Build Service are the main adjacent tools and distribution surfaces named by upstream.
Sources
security posture
Risk level: green
narrow executable package without higher-risk signals.
Risk classifier
green risk · low confidence · appliance
Why
- narrow executable package without higher-risk signals
Signals
- metadata:no-higher-risk-signals
Install behavior
- No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
- Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 6 platform targets.
- Installs with 5 runtime dependencies.
- Build metadata lists 4 build dependencies.
Recommended review
Before unattended agent use, check whether the tool reads plaintext credentials, writes remote state, publishes artifacts, or shells out to plugins.
executables
Installed executables
| Command | Kind | Exposure | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
diff-pdf | cli | global executable |
freshness
Version and freshness
These signals separate page generation age, package-manager activity, and upstream release comparison. Version lag is warned only when an evidence URL and comparable versions are present.
page generated2026-07-08
manager version0.5.3
manager updated2026-05-14
local dataok
upstreamnot checked
latest detectednot detected
https://github.com/vslavik/diff-pdf
- infoNo cached GitHub release or tag data was available.https://github.com/vslavik/diff-pdfnone confidence
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:diff-pdf |
|---|---|
| Version | 0.5.3 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Package manager page | https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/diff-pdf |
| Homepage | https://vslavik.github.io/diff-pdf/ |
| Repository | https://github.com/vslavik/diff-pdf |
| Upstream docs | https://github.com/vslavik/diff-pdf#readme |
| License | GPL-2.0-or-later |
| Source archive | https://github.com/vslavik/diff-pdf/releases/download/v0.5.3/diff-pdf-0.5.3.tar.gz |
| Last updated | 2026-05-14T22:24:05-04:00 |
| Pulse | updated |
| Dependencies | cairo, gettext, glib, poppler, wxwidgets@3.2 |
| Build dependencies | autoconf, automake, libtool, pkgconf |
| Bottle | available (on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, sonoma, x86_64_linux) |
| Homebrew post-install | not defined |
| Service | none declared |
registry facts
Source database details
| Source Database | Homebrew formula API |
|---|---|
| Tap | homebrew/core |
| Full Name | diff-pdf |
| Version Scheme | 0 |
| Revision | 0 |
| Bottle Stable Root URL | https://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core |
| Deprecated | no |
| Disabled | no |
| Keg Only | no |
| URL Keys |
|
source database matches
Other package-manager records
Matches are pulled from external package-manager indexes and kept separate from local Automic Vault package links.
Nix95%
diff-pdf
nix profile install nixpkgs#diff-pdf- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Diff Pdf
apk95%
diff-pdf 0.5.3-r0
A simple tool for visually comparing two PDF files
https://vslavik.github.io/diff-pdf/
sudo apk add diff-pdf- License: GPL-2.0-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: diff-pdf
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Diff Pdf
dnf95%
diff-pdf 0.5.3-1.fc45
A simple tool for visually comparing two PDF files
http://vslavik.github.io/diff-pdf/
sudo dnf install diff-pdf- License: GPL-2.0-or-later AND LicenseRef-Callaway-LGPLv2+
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: diff-pdf
- 10 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Diff Pdf
pacman95%
diff-pdf 0.5.3-1
A simple tool for visually comparing two PDF files
http://vslavik.github.io/diff-pdf
sudo pacman -S diff-pdf- License: GPL-2.0-only
- Architecture: x86_64
- 8 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Diff Pdf
zypper95%
diff-pdf 0.5-2.17
Simple PDF comparison tool
https://vslavik.github.io/diff-pdf/
sudo zypper install diff-pdf- License: GPL-2.0-only AND LGPL-2.0-only
- Category: Productivity/Publishing/PDF
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: diff-pdf
- 9 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Diff Pdf
MacPorts95%
diff-pdf
sudo port install diff-pdf- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Diff Pdf
Scoop95%
extras/diff-pdf
scoop install extras/diff-pdf- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Diff Pdf
source trail
Generated from repository data
This page is generated by av-web from the private package SQLite artifact built by scripts/generate-pkg-sqlite.py.
Combined YAML source
View the package source record on GitHub.
Used sources
- Geiger risk classifier
- Nucleus package database
- av.db category and tag curation
- cross-ecosystem install command graph
- curated package history
- external package-manager database matches
- package relationship graph
- package version freshness
- package-page enrichment