MaterialDiff is a specialized visual comparison and auditing tool for Unreal Engine, specifically designed to fill a critical gap in the standard editor: the lack of a native material graph diffing solution.
While Unreal Engine provides robust side-by-side diffing for Blueprints, Materials have historically been restricted to basic property comparisons. MaterialDiff brings that missing power to Technical Artists and Material Developers, allowing them to audit changes in Materials, Material Instances, and Material Functions with the same precision and visual clarity they expect from standard Blueprint or code diffs.
Key Features:
The Missing Graph Diff: The primary solution for side-by-side visual comparison of Material node networks. It features synchronized scrolling and zooming, allowing you to see exactly how logic has changed between two versions of a shader.
Automated Logic Tracking: Automatically identifies and markers added or removed nodes and pins within the graph, providing a clear visual map of how data flow has changed.
Comprehensive Parameter Auditing: Includes a dedicated "Details" tree that categorizes every Added, Removed, and Modified parameter. You no longer have to hunt through the details panel to see which textures were swapped or which scalar values were tweaked.
Precision Selection & Highlighting: Clicking any change in the diff tree automatically focuses and highlights that specific parameter in the details panel, making it instant to find and verify specific value changes.
Merge & Apply Workflow: Beyond just viewing differences, the plugin includes custom controls to help "apply" or move specific changes between versions, streamlining the reconciliation process.
Multi-Version Stability: Engineered with compatibility guards for Unreal Engine 5.4 through 5.7+, ensuring the tool remains reliable across engine upgrades.
By providing the visual comparison tools that the engine lacks by default, MaterialDiff significantly reduces the risk of visual regressions and speeds up the asset review process in professional collaborative environments.
Note:
The material diff tool is most reliable when comparing different versions of the same material. Comparisons between unrelated materials may not accurately reflect all differences.