> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://help.lawlibrary.org.za/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://help.lawlibrary.org.za/legislation/how-to-explore-changed-legislation.md).

# Changes to legislation

"What changed"? is how we assist users to navigate and compare various versions of legislation on the platform.

{% embed url="<https://youtu.be/THtER-ImAJ0>" %}

Did you know that you can compare previous versions of a piece of legislation, which aids comparative legal research?

## Explore what's changed:

1. Open an act or other piece of legislation
2. Legislation that has changed will have a **What changed?** annotation on the right-hand side margin of the page.

<figure><img src="https://3117175017-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FtG3SFnzbvSZsm9BZgnKM%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-eddbb50180ada246b1c6a301e1e69a55d0ba988f%2Flawlibrary--legislation%201.png?alt=media" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

### How to compare versions:

Comparing the current and previous versions of a provision;

1. Click the **What changed?** button
2. A pop-up box will appear allowing you to choose which versions you would like to compare
3. The text highlighted in green is what has been added and the text in red has been removed.
4. Check the box to view the changes **side-by-side**

<figure><img src="https://3117175017-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FtG3SFnzbvSZsm9BZgnKM%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-bdd1c90c2053bdc2c1b3178c844a6eb31119b262%2Flawlibrary--legislation%202.png?alt=media" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

### Tips:

* When viewing the provision side-by-side; the left-hand side is the **previous version** and the **amended version** is displayed on the right-hand side.
* "**This is the latest version of this Act**" notice at the top of the document means that all amendments have been applied to the document and you are viewing the latest version of the legislation.
* "**There are outstanding amendments that have not yet been applied. See the History tab for more information.**" notice at the top of the document means that there are amendments to the legislation that have been made but are not yet reflected in the current version you are viewing.

<figure><img src="https://3117175017-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FtG3SFnzbvSZsm9BZgnKM%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-2835134cd3df5550838bef303b163fc4ade12e5f%2Flawlibrary--legislation%203.png?alt=media" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>


---

# Agent Instructions
This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com.

## Querying This Documentation
If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the following URL with the `ask` and `goal` query parameters:

```
GET https://help.lawlibrary.org.za/legislation/how-to-explore-changed-legislation.md?ask=<question>&goal=<user_goal>
```

`ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
`goal` is what the user is ultimately trying to achieve, the reason they need the answer. Sharing it helps GitBook give you a better, more relevant answer. A goal is most helpful when it describes the outcome the user wants rather than restating the question. For example, with `ask=how do I create an API token`, a goal like `automate deployments from our CI pipeline` lets GitBook tailor the answer to that use case.

The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.