Comparing spreadsheet files, such as XLS, is essential when you want to detect content changes or maintain version control in cross-platform apps. For teams or individuals manipulating Excel spreadsheets in a distributed setting, managing such changes can be challenging. To avoid manual processing and streamline change tracking, you can programmatically compare XLS files in Java apps effectively using the Java REST API. This article demonstrates how to execute the XLS comparison with simple API calls.

Steps to Compare XLS Files Using Java

1. Download the GroupDocs.Comparison Cloud Java SDK and create a Java project
2. Obtain and set up your API credentials with the Configuration class
3. Initialize the CompareApi class for comparison
4. Create FileInfo objects for the source and target XLS files
5. Define comparison options with the ComparisonOptions class
6. Load & execute the XLS file comparison request with the comparisons() method

By following these steps, you do not need to install Excel or third-party desktop tools to compare XLS workbooks in Java. The cloud-based document comparison API interacts via REST calls, enabling you to perform Excel spreadsheet comparison with less coding effort. Comparisons occur in the cloud, which means there is no burden on local resources. You can programmatically accept or reject changes, providing version control semantics within your Java apps across Windows, macOS, and Linux.

Code to Compare XLS Files Using Java

We learned that GroupDocs.Comparison Cloud Java SDK is an excellent choice for comparing Excel XLS files. It offers a robust, low-effort, scalable solution for Java developers. You can work with powerful file comparison features, such as content change detection and revision control. With the Java REST API, developers can start building high-performance XLS comparison tools seamlessly without managing low-level spreadsheet parsing or incorporating external difference-checker engines.

You may also find value in our related article on Comparing PPT Files Using the Java REST API, which allows you to reuse your comparison logic across multiple formats.