> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.snomed.org/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.snomed.org/snomed-ct-user-guides/snomed-ct-browser-guide/how-to/compare-historical-versions-of-a-snomed-ct-concept.md).

# Compare historical versions of a SNOMED CT concept

| Steps                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   | References                                                                                          |
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| <p>With the desired focus concept in the <em>Concept Details</em> panel, press <i class="fa-chevron-down">:chevron-down:</i> on the <code>Perspective</code> button in the header bar to see a drop-down options list of available perspectives:<br></p><ul><li><code>Full</code></li><li><code>Comparing</code></li><li><code>Comparing hierarchy</code></li><li><code>Responsive (tablets, phones)</code></li></ul>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   | <div><figure><img src="/files/XxMrEAyGdQee9MevDw3C" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure></div> |
| Select `Comparing` to switch the presentation to `Perspective: Comparing`.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              | <div><figure><img src="/files/a9fSooXSSs04Vn58fTM4" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure></div> |
| <p><code>Perspective: Comparing</code> maintains the browser header bar, but changes to show two side-by-side <em>Concept Details</em> panels, with a full-width <em>Search</em> panel below them.<br></p><p>When invoked with a concept already in the <code>Perspective: Full</code> <em>Concept Details</em> panel, the focus concept will be preserved in both <code>Perspective: Comparing</code> <em>Concept Details</em> panels.\</br /></p><div data-gb-custom-block data-tag="hint" data-style="info" class="hint hint-info"><p><strong>Panel sizes can be adjusted</strong><br></p><p>The relative sizes of the three panels can be adjusted by pressing and dragging their gray border bars.<br></p><p>When comparing historical versions, it is useful to reduce the <em>Search</em> panel height once concepts are loaded for comparison, as shown in the adjacent screenshot.</p></div><div data-gb-custom-block data-tag="hint" data-style="warning" class="hint hint-warning"><p><strong>Reloading clears Perspective: Comparing</strong><br></p><p>Reloading the page will reset the SCT Browser to the <code>Perspective: Full</code> default presentation.</p></div> | <div><figure><img src="/files/QTyQkp6GEwftgmasMubw" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure></div> |
| With the same focus concept in each *Concept Details* panel, use their `History` context tab to change their content to a historical version, as described in [View the history of a SNOMED CT concept](/snomed-ct-user-guides/snomed-ct-browser-guide/how-to/view-the-history-of-a-snomed-ct-concept.md).                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              | <div><figure><img src="/files/MWYYijJWWSfPUJD3nyNT" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure></div> |
| The two *Concept Details* context tabs can now be used to independently select alternative versions from the concept history, so that they can be compared side-by-side.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                | <div><figure><img src="/files/GmlhzCVdorLYnhTbcgYF" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure></div> |
| Once done with comparisons, select `Full` in the header bar `Perspective` button drop-down options list to switch back to `Perspective: Full`.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | <div><figure><img src="/files/ArFbWr4vXmwCQumMTprV" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure></div> |
| The comparison focus concept will be retained in the `Perspective: Full` *Concept Details* panel, however, it will be reset to the latest published version.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            | <div><figure><img src="/files/MWMdFbqJw0493PJm621z" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure></div> |

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