cmp

Compare two files.
The cmp utility compares two files of any type and writes the results to the standard output. By default, cmp is silent if the files are the same; if they differ, the byte and line number at which the first difference occurred is reported.

SYNTAX
      cmp [-l | -s] file1 file2 [skip1 [skip2]]

Options
     -l    Print the byte number (decimal) and the differing byte values (octal)
           for each difference.

     -s    Print nothing for differing files; return exit status only.

Notes
The optional arguments skip1 and skip2 are the byte offsets from the beginning of file1 and file2, respectively, where the comparison will begin. The offset is decimal by default, but may be expressed as a hex or octal value by preceding it with a leading `0x' or `0'.

cmp exits with one of the following values:

0 The files are identical.
1 The files are different; this includes the case where one file is identical to the first part of the other. In the latter case, if the -s option has not been specified, cmp writes to standard output that EOF was reached in the shorter file (before any differences were found).
>1 An error occurred.

"First rate people hire other first rate people. Second rate people hire third rate people. Third rate people hire fifth rate people" - André Weil

Related commands:

diff - Display the differences between two files

Equivalent BASH command:

cmp - Substitute user identity.