hexeditor

A hex editor is a type of computer program that allows a user to view and edit the raw binary data of a file. Unlike a text editor, which interprets data as characters, a hex editor displays data as hexadecimal values. This means that each byte of data is represented by two hexadecimal digits, ranging from 00 to FF. This raw view is useful for understanding the underlying structure of files, especially non-textual ones like executable programs, images, or compressed archives.

Hex editors are often used by programmers, reverse engineers, and system administrators. They can be employed to debug software by examining memory dumps, to analyze file formats, or to recover corrupted data. By directly manipulating the bytes, users can make precise changes that might not be possible with higher-level tools. For example, a hex editor could be used to patch a program by changing specific instruction codes or to modify metadata within a file.

The user interface of a hex editor typically shows data in three columns: the offset (the position of the byte within the file), the hexadecimal representation of the byte, and the ASCII (or other character encoding) representation. This allows for easy cross-referencing and understanding of the data. Some advanced hex editors also offer features like data comparison, search and replace with hexadecimal patterns, and the ability to edit data in memory as well as files.