What is the Side-by-Side Comparison skill?

It is a Claude Code skill that enables the AI to format and display multiple outputs in parallel columns for easier visual analysis and debugging.

Is this skill useful for debugging code?

Absolutely. It is ideal for visual diffing to identify exactly how a function's output or a data structure changed during a debugging session.

How does it handle outputs with different numbers of lines?

The implementation uses alignment logic like zip_longest to ensure rows stay synchronized and readable even when the compared data sets have unequal lengths.

When should I avoid using this skill?

Avoid using it for extremely wide outputs that might exceed your terminal width or for non-textual data that cannot be represented in a column-based format.

Can I compare more than two items at once?

Yes, the skill includes patterns for comparing multiple solutions or algorithm outputs across several columns simultaneously.

Side-by-Side Comparison Patterns

Name: Side-by-Side Comparison Patterns
Author: jimmc414

byjimmc414

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Data Science & ML

Visualizes code changes, algorithm results, and data states by displaying multiple outputs in parallel columns.

The Side-by-Side Comparison skill provides Claude with standardized patterns for displaying text-based data in parallel columns. Inspired by Peter Norvig’s 'pytudes,' this skill is essential for debugging visual diffs, comparing puzzle states with their solutions, or evaluating the outputs of multiple algorithms simultaneously. It ensures consistent formatting through fixed column widths and row alignment, making complex comparisons clear and readable within the terminal environment without requiring external diff tools.

Key Features

01Automatic row alignment using zip_longest logic

02Parallel column rendering for synchronized text display

03Fixed-width formatting for consistent terminal output

04Support for multi-column comparisons (3+ outputs)

05Customizable headers and labels for clear identification

061 GitHub stars

Use Cases

01Benchmarking and comparing output differences between multiple competing algorithms

02Comparing 'before' and 'after' states during code refactoring or debugging

03Visualizing game states like Sudoku puzzles alongside their completed solutions

What are Skills?·How to Install

Install with 🐟 Skill.Fish

npx skillfish add jimmc414/claude-code-plugin-marketplace show-side-by-side

For use in Claude.ai and ChatGPT

Download Skill