GJ FILE MANAGER · FIELD NOTES
Compare Two Project Folders on Mac Before Combining a Delivery
Two project folders can look similar while containing different revisions or hidden files. Inspect both locations, keep the originals, and copy selected files into a separate delivery folder. This workflow distinguishes comparison from synchronization and explains same-name conflicts.
The scenario: two folders that only look identical
Two contributors each deliver a folder for the same project. Opened side by side, the visible contents appear to match, so a quick merge seems safe. Matching visible names do not prove matching contents; names such as final and final-revised do not explain what changed, and a configuration file starting with a dot may be hidden rather than missing. The goal is to reconcile both deliveries into one delivery folder while keeping the originals intact. That means inspecting before copying, not overwriting first.
Step 1: Keep the originals and create a separate destination
Treat both contributor folders as read-only references. Before any merge step, keep the original folders untouched and, if synchronization or copying becomes necessary, back up first. This matters because tools can overwrite or remove content: mirroring can remove destination-only content, and not every sync mode simply adds missing files. Opening and comparing files does not change them, so do the inspection work directly against the originals, then only copy into the new delivery folder once you have decided what belongs there.
Step 2: Compare the two folders before merging
In GJ File Manager, select the two folders and use the configured Compare shortcut (default ⌥⌘D). The comparison lets you inspect missing, different and matching items, checking both paths, so the apparent sameness of the deliveries is tested rather than assumed. For supported text files, you can also inspect the text differences. Viewing differences and executing synchronization are separate steps: comparison does not automatically overwrite files, so review the result before choosing any operation.
Step 3: Reveal hidden leftovers in each folder
A file may be present yet hidden, especially dotfiles. Open the specific authorized project directory in GJ File Manager and enable the hidden-file toggle in the browsing area; it applies to the current folder only. Check the dotfiles and preview only the file you need. In the current icon view, enabling hidden files also displays file and folder size subtitles as part of the view's behavior. Turn the toggle off when you finish. Visibility is not permission to delete: an unfamiliar hidden file can be important to an application or the operating system.
Step 4: Handle same-name conflicts without losing a revision
If merging into the delivery folder produces a name clash, GJ File Manager offers Replace, Keep Both and Stop. Read the source and destination paths in the conflict prompt. Choose Keep Both when you need both versions, or Stop if you cannot assess the batch. Keep Both preserves separate files with distinct names; it does not merge the documents or interpret their edits. After completion, locate the original and the newly named copy and preview each. A newer modification date does not prove correctness, and replacement is not an unconditional backup. Apply a choice to all conflicts only when the same rule genuinely fits them.
Step 5: Reconcile, then deliver once
Use the folder comparison and the hidden-file inspection together: the comparison shows missing and changed items, while the hidden-file toggle exposes dotfiles that never appeared in the default view. Decide which version belongs in the delivery based on the inspected content, not the filename. Copy the chosen files into the single delivery folder, resolving any conflicts deliberately. The originals stay safe as references, and viewing differences remains distinct from executing synchronization, so nothing is overwritten before you have reviewed it.
Related product guides
Written by the GJ File Manager team. Mac workflows; controls may differ on iPad.
Explore GJ File Manager →