#Compare runs

Run the same request across multiple environments either inline or from the CLI:

• Add # @compare dev stage prod base=stage to a request block to pin the order/baseline inside the file. Provide at least two environments; base is optional and defaults to the first entry. baseline, primary, and ref are alternate spellings of base, so only one of them may carry a value. Writing base= or group= with nothing after it is reported rather than treated as omitted.
• Supply global defaults with resterm --compare dev,stage,prod --compare-base stage, then press g+c anywhere in the editor to reuse those targets even if the request lacks @compare.
• While a compare run is active Resterm automatically enables a split layout, pins the previous response in the secondary pane, and streams progress in the status bar (Compare dev✓ stage… prod?). The new Compare tab renders a table with status/code/duration/diff summaries per environment.
• Each compare sweep writes a bundled history entry (COMPARE method) so you can replay the failing environment later; selecting a compare history row loads the run back into the editor, restores the Compare tab, and lets you resend or inspect deltas off-line.
• Navigate the Compare tab with ↑/↓ (or PgUp/PgDn/Home/End) to highlight any environment, then press Enter to load that environment’s snapshot into the primary pane while the configured baseline stays pinned in the secondary pane. The Diff tab (and Pretty/Raw/Headers) now reflect “selected ↔ baseline,” so choosing the baseline row yields an “identical” diff, while choosing another environment shows how it diverges from the baseline. To compare against a different reference, rerun with a new base= value or load the desired pair from History.

Grouped compare varies exactly one group and holds every other active choice fixed:

# @compare group=api dev uat prod base=dev
GET {{services.api.base}}/health

The CLI equivalent is:

resterm --compare dev,uat,prod --compare-group api --compare-base dev

Profiles with spaces can be quoted inline or comma-separated on the CLI: --compare 'dev app 1,dev app 2' --compare-group app. Compare on a grouped file requires a group. Unknown profiles or a baseline that is not one of the targets fail before the first network request.

Use @compare alongside the usual metadata, e.g. to couple request-scoped variables per environment:

### Smoke workflow
# @name smoke
# @compare dev stage prod base=prod
POST {{services.api.base}}/status
Accept: application/json

{
  "env": "{{services.api.name}}"
}