Daily Software Tips & Tricks

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VS Code's Secret Comparison Trick

February 7, 2026

Hey, tired of messy file comparisons when you just need to check a quick snippet? Don't reach for an external diff tool! If you copy a piece of code (maybe from a PR comment or an old file you closed), you can quickly compare it against your active editor without saving temporary files. Simply right-click anywhere in your active editor and select 'Compare Active File with Clipboard.' It instantly opens a clean, side-by-side diff view showing exactly what changes you need to consider, saving a huge amount of time.