File Compare

In computing, fc (File Compare) is a command-line program in DOS, IBM OS/2 and Microsoft Windows operating systems, that compares multiple files and outputs the differences between them.[2][3] It is similar to the Unix commands comm, cmp and diff.

This article is about the operating system command. For the general concept, see File comparison.
fc
Original author(s)Mani A. Ulloa[1]
Developer(s)Microsoft, IBM, Digital Research, Novell
Initial release1984, 38–39 years ago
Written inMS-DOS: x86 assembly language
FreeDOS: C
Operating systemMS-DOS, PC DOS, OS/2, eComStation, ArcaOS, Windows, DR DOS, FreeDOS
PlatformCross-platform
TypeCommand
LicenseMS-DOS: MIT
FreeDOS: GPLv2+
Websitedocs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/administration/windows-commands/fc

History

The fc command has been included in Microsoft operating systems since MS-DOS 2.11 (e.g. on the 1984/85 DEC Rainbow release)[4] and is included in all versions of Microsoft Windows.[5] fc has also been included in IBM OS/2 Version 2.0.[6]

DR DOS 6.0 includes an implementation of the fc command.[7]

The command is also available in FreeDOS. This implementation is licensed under the GPLv2+.[8]

Functionality

fc can compare text files as well as binary files.[9] The latest versions can compare ASCII or Unicode text. The result of comparisons are output to the standard output. The output of fc is intended primarily to be human readable and may be difficult to use in other programs.

See also

References
  1. OS/2 Museum
  2. "fc Microsoft Docs". Microsoft.com. Retrieved 2019-06-20.
  3. "Fasthelp". Technet.microsoft.com. 20 February 2014. Retrieved 2016-06-15.
  4. Rainbow MS-DOS Version 2.11 Documentation : Digital Equipment Corporation October 1984
  5. MS-DOS and Windows command line fc command
  6. OS/2 2.0 Redbooks Volume 2 - DOS and Windows Environment (GG24-3731)
  7. DR DOS 6.0 User Guide Optimisation and Configuration Tips
  8. "FreeDOS 1.2 Updates Package - fc (FreeDOS Base)". Ibiblio.org. 2005-01-10. Retrieved 2022-09-04.
  9. FC - file compare - Windows CMD - SS64.com

Further reading
  • Cooper, Jim (2001). Special Edition Using MS-DOS 6.22, Third Edition. Que Publishing. ISBN 978-0789725738.
  • John Paul Mueller (2007). Windows Administration at the Command Line for Windows Vista, Windows 2003, Windows XP, and Windows 2000. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 978-0470165799.
Wikibooks has a book on the topic of: Guide to Windows Commands
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