Meld

What Meld is

Meld is a free desktop tool for comparing files, directories, and version controlled projects on Linux and Windows. It supports two-way and three-way comparisons for files and directories. Users can edit and merge files while comparisons update, navigate between changes, and work with individual change blocks. For three-way merges, Meld helps handle conflicts and shows the base version. Folder comparison identifies missing or modified files, allows drilling into file comparisons, and can ignore selected files or folders. Version control support covers Git, Mercurial, Bazaar, and Subversion, and Meld can be used with tools such as git mergetool. It is licensed under GPLv2 or later, except as noted. The project lists Meld 3.24.0 as its stable release dated 20 June 2026. Linux packages are available for most Linux and Unix distributions and on Flathub. Windows users need the installer; automatic updates and portable installs are not supported. macOS is not yet supported, though the project points to semi-official builds and package manager options.

Who it suits

Meld suits developers and others reviewing code changes, understanding patches, or comparing version controlled projects on Linux or Windows.

Limits

Meld is free under GPLv2 or later. Windows does not support automatic updates or portable installs, and macOS is not yet supported.

Getting started

1. Download Meld from its website.
2. On Linux, use a package for your distribution or get it through Flathub.
3. On Windows, download and use the installer.
4. Use Meld to compare files, directories, or version-controlled projects.

Verdict

Meld provides file, folder, and version control comparisons with editing and merge support. Its platform limits matter for macOS users and Windows users who need portable installs or automatic updates.