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.[1][2] 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
The Microsoft Windows 95 fc command
Original author(s)M. A. Ulloa
Developer(s)Microsoft, IBM, Digital Research, Novell
Initial release1984, 35–36 years ago
Operating systemMS-DOS, PC DOS, OS/2, Windows, DR DOS, FreeDOS
TypeCommand
LicenseMS-DOS: MIT
FreeDOS: GPL
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)[3] and is included in all versions of Microsoft Windows.[4] fc has also been included in IBM OS/2 Version 2.0.[5]

DR DOS 6.0 includes an implementation of the fc command.[6]

The command is also available in FreeDOS. This implementation is licensed under the GPL.[7]

Functionality

fc can compare text files as well as binary files.[8] 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. "fc Microsoft Docs". Microsoft.com. Retrieved 2019-06-20.
  2. "Fasthelp". Technet.microsoft.com. Retrieved 2016-06-15.
  3. Rainbow MS-DOS Version 2.11 Documentation : Digital Equipment Corporation October 1984
  4. MS-DOS and Windows command line fc command
  5. OS/2 2.0 Redbooks Volume 2 - DOS and Windows Environment (GG24-3731)
  6. DR DOS 6.0 User Guide Optimisation and Configuration Tips
  7. http://www.ibiblio.org/pub/micro/pc-stuff/freedos/files/distributions/1.2/repos/pkg-html/fc.html
  8. 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.
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