diff --git a/ast/compare.go b/ast/compare.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fec22b1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ast/compare.go
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+package ast
+
+import (
+	"reflect"
+)
+
+// NodesEqual compares two AST nodes for equality
+func NodesEqual(a, b Node) bool {
+	if a == nil || b == nil {
+		return a == b
+	}
+
+	if a.Type() != b.Type() {
+		return false
+	}
+
+	switch n1 := a.(type) {
+	case *Term:
+		if n2, ok := b.(*Term); ok {
+			return n1.Foundry == n2.Foundry &&
+				n1.Key == n2.Key &&
+				n1.Layer == n2.Layer &&
+				n1.Match == n2.Match &&
+				n1.Value == n2.Value
+		}
+	case *TermGroup:
+		if n2, ok := b.(*TermGroup); ok {
+			if n1.Relation != n2.Relation || len(n1.Operands) != len(n2.Operands) {
+				return false
+			}
+			for i := range n1.Operands {
+				if !NodesEqual(n1.Operands[i], n2.Operands[i]) {
+					return false
+				}
+			}
+			return true
+		}
+	case *Token:
+		if n2, ok := b.(*Token); ok {
+			return NodesEqual(n1.Wrap, n2.Wrap)
+		}
+	case *CatchallNode:
+		if n2, ok := b.(*CatchallNode); ok {
+			return n1.NodeType == n2.NodeType &&
+				reflect.DeepEqual(n1.RawContent, n2.RawContent) &&
+				NodesEqual(n1.Wrap, n2.Wrap)
+		}
+	}
+	return false
+}
+
+// IsTermNode checks if a node is a Term node
+func IsTermNode(node Node) bool {
+	_, ok := node.(*Term)
+	return ok
+}