List Difference
Compare two line-separated lists and return items that occur only in the first list.
How to use the List Difference
What does the List Difference do?
Compare two line-separated lists and return items that occur only in the first list; It applies this page-specific rule: this tool treats each line as one complete item.
Which inputs does this tool use?
To compare two line-separated lists and return items that occur only in the first list, enter First list, Second list, Items only in the first list; keep every value in the same example; select Find first-list-only items when the values are ready; Start with a familiar case covered by this rule - By default, Apple and apple match, spaces around a line are removed, blank lines are ignored, and repeated results appear once - so the expected result can confirm the settings.
How should the tool result be read?
For a result intended to compare two line-separated lists and return items that occur only in the first list, by default, Apple and apple match, spaces around a line are removed, blank lines are ignored, and repeated results appear once; read items only in the first list together with the original first list rather than as an isolated answer, and confirm that its units or structure match the intended use.
Is list difference the same in both directions?
When the goal is to compare two line-separated lists and return items that occur only in the first list, no.
Do commas separate items?
When using the page to compare two line-separated lists and return items that occur only in the first list, no.
Limits and accuracy
When using this tool to compare two line-separated lists and return items that occur only in the first list, the result keeps the spelling and capitalization from the first list; check the result in its intended destination before relying on it for important work; keep first list until the output has been checked in its intended destination.
How to compare two lists for differences
This tool treats each line as one complete item. It checks every item in the first list against the second list and returns only unmatched first-list items. Reversing the two lists can produce a different answer.
By default, Apple and apple match, spaces around a line are removed, blank lines are ignored, and repeated results appear once. Turn off an option when those details are meaningful in your data.
The result keeps the spelling and capitalization from the first list. Nothing is uploaded, and your original lists are not changed.
Frequently asked questions
Is list difference the same in both directions?
No. A minus B returns first-list items absent from the second list. B minus A can return different items.
Do commas separate items?
No. Enter one whole item per line so commas can remain part of an item.
Can matching ignore capitalization?
Yes. Ignore uppercase and lowercase is selected by default, while the output preserves the first list's original text.