diff --git a/dotdrop/comparator.py b/dotdrop/comparator.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ed7fd92
--- /dev/null
+++ b/dotdrop/comparator.py
@@ -0,0 +1,83 @@
+"""
+author: deadc0de6 (https://github.com/deadc0de6)
+Copyright (c) 2017, deadc0de6
+
+handle the comparison of dotfiles and local deployment
+"""
+
+import os
+import shutil
+import filecmp
+
+# local imports
+from dotdrop.logger import Logger
+import dotdrop.utils as utils
+
+
+class Comparator:
+
+    # TODO add ignore
+    def __init__(self, diffopts='', ignore=[], debug=False):
+        """diff left (deployed file) and right (dotdrop dotfile)"""
+        self.diffopts = diffopts
+        self.ignore = [os.path.expanduser(i) for i in ignore]
+        self.debug = debug
+        self.log = Logger()
+
+    def compare(self, left, right):
+        """compare two files/directories"""
+        left = os.path.expanduser(left)
+        right = os.path.expanduser(right)
+        if not os.path.isdir(left):
+            return self._comp_file(left, right)
+        return self._comp_dir(left, right)
+
+    def _comp_file(self, left, right):
+        """compare a file"""
+        if left in self.ignore or right in self.ignore:
+            if self.debug:
+                self.log.dbg('ignoring diff {} and {}'.format(left, right))
+            return ''
+        return self._diff(left, right)
+
+    def _comp_dir(self, left, right):
+        """compare a directory"""
+        if left in self.ignore or right in self.ignore:
+            if self.debug:
+                self.log.dbg('ignoring diff {} and {}'.format(left, right))
+            return ''
+        if self.debug:
+            self.log.dbg('compare {} and {}'.format(left, right))
+        ret = []
+        comp = filecmp.dircmp(left, right, ignore=self.ignore)
+        # handle files only in deployed file
+        for i in comp.left_only:
+            ret.append('Only in {}: {}'.format(left, i))
+        for i in comp.right_only:
+            ret.append('Only in {}: {}'.format(right, i))
+
+        for i in comp.common_funny:
+            lfile = os.path.join(left, i)
+            rfile = os.path.join(right, i)
+            diff = self._diff(lfile, rfile)
+            ret.append(diff)
+
+        for i in comp.diff_files:
+            lfile = os.path.join(left, i)
+            rfile = os.path.join(right, i)
+            diff = self._diff(lfile, rfile)
+            ret.append(diff)
+
+        for i in comp.funny_files:
+            lfile = os.path.join(left, i)
+            rfile = os.path.join(right, i)
+            diff = self._diff(lfile, rfile)
+            ret.append(diff)
+
+        return '\n'.join(ret)
+
+    def _diff(self, left, right):
+        """diff using the unix tool diff"""
+        diff = utils.diff(left, right, raw=False,
+                          opts=self.diffopts, debug=self.debug)
+        return diff
diff --git a/dotdrop/installer.py b/dotdrop/installer.py
index d95d8e2..17c9f50 100644
--- a/dotdrop/installer.py
+++ b/dotdrop/installer.py
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import os
 
 # local imports
 from dotdrop.logger import Logger
+from dotdrop.comparator import Comparator
 import dotdrop.utils as utils
 
 
@@ -219,8 +220,8 @@ class Installer:
             if ret:
                 if self.debug:
                     self.log.dbg('diffing {} and {}'.format(tmpdst, dst))
-                diff = utils.diff(tmpdst, dst, raw=False,
-                                  opts=opts, debug=self.debug)
+                comparator = Comparator(opts, self.debug)
+                diff = comparator.compare(tmpdst, dst)
                 if diff == '':
                     retval = True, ''
                 else: