# google/diff-match-patch

Diff Match Patch is a high-performance library in multiple languages that manipulates plain text.

Repository: https://github.com/google/diff-match-patch
Canonical: https://ross.abutalabs.com/products/diff-match-patch
Language: Python
License: Apache-2.0
License Family: permissive
Topics: difference, diff, match, patch, text-processing
Archived: true
Last push: 2024-05-22T22:13:22+00:00

## Health v2 (maintenance only)
Score: 10/100 (v2, computed 2026-09-03T02:20:16.233290+00:00)
- activity 0, release rhythm 35, longevity 100
- inputs: {"age_days": 3144, "days_push": 833, "days_rel": null, "gap_med": null, "n_releases_24m": 0}
- flags: no_releases, archived
- formula: round(0.45*activity + 0.35*rhythm + 0.20*longevity); archived -> min(score, 10)

## Adoption (not part of the score)
Stars 8140, forks 1171 (observed 2026-08-28T04:10:13.843467+00:00)

## What it is
A multi-language library (C++, C#, Dart, Java, JavaScript, Lua, Objective-C, Python) implementing robust algorithms for diffing, fuzzy matching, and patching plain text. Originally built to power Google Docs, it uses Myers' diff algorithm and Bitap matching.

## Use cases
- compare two text blocks and get a list of differences
- apply patches to text that may have changed
- find fuzzy matches of a search string in text
- build collaborative editing or sync features
- implement version tracking for plain text content
- highlight word or line-level changes in an editor

## When to choose
- you need battle-tested diff/match/patch algorithms across multiple languages
- you need best-effort patching of text that doesn't exactly match
- you want the same API in different language ports

## When to avoid
- you need structured (XML/JSON) diffs rather than plain text
- you need git-compatible unidiff tooling as a primary feature
- you need binary file diffing

## Facets
- artifact type: library
- maturity: stable
- function: parser, search-engine, serialization
- domain: developer-tools, text-editors, cross-platform
- platform: python, cpp, jvm, cross-platform, lua
- tags: diff, patch, fuzzy-matching, text-processing, myers-algorithm, bitap, multi-language, algorithms, javascript

## Member repositories
- google/diff-match-patch (main) score 10

## Provenance
- Observed fields: from GitHub, fetched 2026-08-28T04:10:13.843467+00:00.
- Health v2: computed from the inputs above; adoption is never an input.
- Inferred fields (summary, facets, guidance): AI-extracted, prompt v1, taxonomy v1, on 2026-08-29T17:29:50.633382+00:00, confidence not recorded.
  - readme: https://github.com/google/diff-match-patch (fetched 2026-08-28T04:10:13.843467+00:00, sha 7f69dfca6cfa)
- Data as of 2026-08-30T08:39:29.467469+00:00.