Hexwert

Hexwert is the German term for a value written in hexadecimal, the base-16 numeral system used in computing. A hexwert represents a number using the digits 0–9 and the letters A–F (or a–f). Each hexadecimal digit corresponds to four binary bits, so two hex digits make up one byte (8 bits). This compact representation makes it easier to read and interpret binary data, memory addresses, and color information.

Notation and representation vary by context. In many programming languages, hexadecimal values are prefixed with 0x, as in 0x2A or 0xFF. Some assembly languages use a trailing h, as in 2Ah or FFh. Hex digits are typically case-insensitive. In web design and graphics, colors are often expressed as hex values in the form #RRGGBB, where RR, GG, and BB are two-digit hex values representing red, green, and blue components respectively.

Common conversions are straightforward: 0x2A equals decimal 42 and binary 00101010; 0xFF equals decimal 255 and binary 11111111. Hex values are widely used for memory addresses, machine code dumps, and firmware data, where byte-aligned representation is advantageous. They also serve as a convenient shorthand for binary patterns and for representing color data in user interfaces.

Caveats include potential ambiguity due to prefix conventions, leading zeros, and case sensitivity in some contexts. When performing arithmetic or bitwise operations, it is important to ensure consistent width (for example, two hex digits per byte) to avoid misinterpretation. Tools such as calculators and programming languages provide built-in support for converting between decimal, binary, and hexadecimal.