Compare Word Documents using Python

Comparing Word documents helps identify changes. Online tools can compare files, but integrating comparison into your own application often requires custom code. This article shows how to compare two Word documents in Python.

Python Library to Compare Word Documents

To compare DOCX or DOC files, we use Aspose.Words for Python. This library lets you automate word‑processing tasks directly from Python. Install it from PyPI with:

pip install aspose-words

Compare Two Word Documents in Python

Aspose.Words for Python simplifies document comparison. Changes appear as revisions in the first document. Follow these steps:

  • Load the first document with the Document class.
  • Load the second document with the Document class.
  • Call compare(Document, string, datetime.today()) on the first document.
  • Check Document.revisions.count to see if differences exist.
  • Save the first document to keep the revisions.

Here is a code sample that compares two Word documents:

The comparison result looks like this:

Compare two Word documents using Python

Additional Options for Comparing Word Documents

Aspose.Words also offers options to fine‑tune the comparison process, such as ignoring headers, footers, or comments, and setting granularity to characters or words. Use these steps:

  • Load the first document with the Document class.
  • Load the second document with the Document class.
  • Create a CompareOptions instance and set the desired settings.
  • Call compare(Document, string, datetime.today(), CompareOptions) on the first document.
  • Check Document.revisions.count for differences.
  • Save the first document to retain the revisions.

The following sample demonstrates custom comparison options:

Get a Free API License

You can get a temporary license to use Aspose.Words for Python without evaluation limits.

Conclusion

This article taught you how to compare two Word documents in Python and how to control the comparison with various options. Explore more Aspose.Words features in the documentation. For questions, visit our forum.

See Also