compare-prose

When to use

• Two prose alternatives. Both sides are full sentences of argument, not lists of facts. The audience reads each column as a paragraph and weighs them against each other.
• Equal-density prose. Each card carries roughly the same body length. One short and one long breaks the visual symmetry that makes the comparison legible.
• Add a verdict modifier when chosen. Layer chosen, decision, or vertical to name the editorial intent. The default (neutral two-up) reads as still-being-decided.

When not to use

• Code comparison. Use compare-code for two fenced blocks. compare-prose is for sentences, not snippets.
• Three or more options. compare-prose is strictly two. For three or more, use cards-grid three or verdict-grid with criteria badges.
• Verbatim text differences. When the diff lives inside the prose itself — legal language, contract clauses — use redline so insertions and deletions render inline.

Common mistakes

• Assuming chosen/rejected/decision mark whichever option is authored first. All three target the SECOND card (li:last-child) in the markdown — the option to crown (chosen) or strike (rejected) must be written second, not first.
• Combining mirror with chosen/rejected/decision, expecting the marked card to move with the visual swap. mirror only reverses the VISUAL row (flex-direction: row-reverse) — the chosen/rejected treatment still targets the second option in markdown SOURCE order, so mirroring changes where it appears on screen, not which option gets the accent.
• Writing a label before the nested sub-list in an axis card (- Own the verb then the numeral/title/description sub-list), the way the base layout's option lead works. axis cards read the FIRST three items of the nested sub-list as numeral, title, and description — leave the outer bullet's own lead blank (- with nothing after it) so nothing is left over to become a stray corner tag.

Authoring

<!-- _class: compare-prose -->

## Heading framing the comparison.

- First option
  - Two-sentence description of the first option, including the strongest argument for it.
- Second option
  - Two-sentence description of the second option, including the strongest argument for it.

Slots

Anatomy

┌─────────────────────────────────────────┐
│  header                                 │
│                  LABEL                  │
│            Comparison Title             │
│                                         │
│  ┌──────────────┐     ┌──────────────┐  │
│  │ Before /     │  →  │ After /      │  │
│  │ Option A     │     │ Option B     │  │
│  │              │     │              │  │
│  └──────────────┘     └──────────────┘  │
│                                         │
│  footer                           1/19  │
└─────────────────────────────────────────┘

Variant decision rule

• axis — Two FACETS of one idea, not a before/after change of state — authored as a numbered list (1. Title + a nested body line). The I/II numerals are generated from the ol counter, never typed, and the variant opts out of the family's corner-tag treatment so the title stacks under the numeral.
• transition — The comparison is a state change over time — left is before, right is after; implies causation, not two co-equal preferences.
• mirror — Same anatomy, but the deck's rhythm wants the accented (second) option to land visually on the left instead of the right.
• chosen — One option is the winner and the other keeps its full, undiminished case — crowns the second option without dimming the first.
• decision — The decision is made and the slide is the record — composes chosen with a de-emphasized first card and a stronger connector.
• vertical — Either case needs more room than the two-column width can hold — stacks the panes top/bottom instead of side by side.
• banner-tag — The corner labels are short, loud verdicts (camps, teams) that deserve a full-width banner instead of a quiet corner tag.
• rejected — One option was considered and explicitly declined — dims and strikes the second card as the record of what didn't make it.

Variants

<!-- _class: compare-prose transition -->

## transition reads left as before, right as after.

- Before
  - The arrow between the panes turns comparison into change over time.
- After
  - Use it for state changes, not preferences — the arrow implies causation.

<!-- _class: compare-prose mirror -->

## mirror swaps the reading order.

- Second option
  - mirror renders this pane first — for when the deck's rhythm lands on the left.
- First option
  - Same anatomy, flipped; the corner tags travel with their panes.

<!-- _class: compare-prose chosen -->

## chosen crowns the right pane the winner.

- The road not taken
  - The losing option keeps its full case — an honest comparison shows real strength.
- The verdict
  - The accent treatment marks this pane as the pick; pair with a reason, not a repeat.

<!-- _class: compare-prose decision -->

## decision stamps the verdict banner across the pair.

- Option one
  - Both panes stay equal; the banner above carries the call.
- Option two
  - Use when the decision is made and the slide is the record.

<!-- _class: compare-prose vertical -->

## vertical stacks the panes for longer cases.

- The top option
  - Stacking buys full slide width, so a case may run toward its ceiling without the columns pinching.
- The bottom option
  - The trade is simultaneity — the eye compares in sequence, so lead with the keeper.

<!-- _class: compare-prose banner-tag -->

## banner-tag fills the corner tags at banner weight.

- OPTION A
  - The tag takes the accent fill and full contrast.
- OPTION B
  - Use for short, loud labels — verdicts, camps, teams.

<!-- _class: compare-prose rejected -->

## rejected strikes the losing pane.

- The pick
  - The surviving option reads at full strength.
- The rejected pane
  - Dimmed and struck — the record of what was considered and declined.

<!-- _class: compare-prose axis -->

## The second axis: how far it reaches.

The verb is one axis — how you think. **Reach** is the other — how far what you make travels.

1. Own the verb
   - You can do the cognitive work — correct, clear, complete. It reaches only you.
2. Widen the reach
   - The work travels: team, org, field. Documented, adopted, durable.

*Most engineers stall on making it travel, not on the thinking.*

Related

• compare-codethe columns are code, not prose
• split-comparethe verdict needs a bottom recommendation bar
• verdict-gridthree or more options scored against shared criteria
• decisionthe verdict slide that lands after a comparison