Hex editors allow users to edit a binary file after it has already been compiled. Ordinarily, you should make changes to a program by editing the source code and compiling it into an executable file. But if you do not have access to the source code, it is still possible to change various bytes of data of the compiled file, in the hopes that your edit will yield the desired results. This is a hacky solution that can be used for both honest and nefarious purposes.
In order to make this kind of an edit to a binary file, we can use something called a hexidecimal editor. This converts the binary file to hexidecimal code, and allows us to change different bits. Quite often we can also glean human readable information from the compiled file in the form of ASCII characters. After making your desired edits, most hex editors will have to way to convert the text back to binary form, and you can try out your new hack to see if it worked as intended. Usually there is lots of trial and error associated with this process.
In this tutorial, we have compiled a list of our favorite hexidecimal editors for a Linux system. Check out our picks below to find one that suits you best.
In this tutorial you will learn:
- List of the best hex editors for Linux
- How to install various hex editors on all major Linux distros
| Category | Requirements, Conventions or Software Version Used |
|---|---|
| System | Any Linux distro |
| Software | xxd, hexedit, hexer, hexcurse, wxHexEditor |
| Other | Privileged access to your Linux system as root or via the sudo command. |
| Conventions |
# – requires given linux commands to be executed with root privileges either directly as a root user or by use of sudo command$ – requires given linux commands to be executed as a regular non-privileged user |
List of best hex editors on Linux
Here are some of our top picks for hex editors on Linux. Determining the right hex editor for you may just depend on the task at hand and which one seems best suited for it. Almost all of the below hex editors are available in most distribution repositories, and absolutely free, so it is worthwhile to give a few of them a shot.
xxd
xxd is a command line hex editor that can create a hex dump of a binary file. It can also convert the dump back to binary form later. This gives you the ability to edit the dump file and then convert it back to see how your changes have affected the program.
Installation of xxd:
Ubuntu, Debian, Linux Mint: $ sudo apt install xxd Red Hat, Fedora, AlmaLinux, Rocky Linux, CentOS: $ sudo dnf install xxd Arch Linux and Manjro: $ sudo pacman -S xxd
hexedit
hexedit allows you to browse a binary file and see the hexadecimal data alongside its ASCII conversion. It is a good and simple program to browse files for information and weaknesses.
Installation of hexedit:
Ubuntu, Debian, Linux Mint: $ sudo apt install hexedit Red Hat, Fedora, AlmaLinux, Rocky Linux, CentOS: $ sudo dnf install hexedit Arch Linux and Manjro: $ sudo pacman -S hexedit
hexer
hexer’s main attraction is that it’s “vi-like”. So, if you’ve grown accustomed to vi’s look and feel, you’ll be right at home in hexer.
Installation of hexer:
Ubuntu, Debian, Linux Mint: $ sudo apt install hexer Red Hat, Fedora, AlmaLinux, Rocky Linux, CentOS: $ sudo dnf install hexer Arch Linux and Manjro: $ sudo pacman -S hexer
hexcurse
hexcurse uses an ncurses interface, making it a little more welcoming than some of the other command line hex editors. You can see hex and ASCII next to each other, and edit either easily.
Installation of hexcurse:
Ubuntu, Debian, Linux Mint: $ sudo apt install hexcurse Red Hat, Fedora, AlmaLinux, Rocky Linux, CentOS: $ git clone https://github.com/LonnyGomes/hexcurse.git $ ./configure && make && make install Arch Linux and Manjro: $ yay -S hexcurse
wxHexEditor
If command line and ncurses is not your thing, wxHexEditor is a GUI program that can manage huge binary files. If you have a large binary file to look through, wxHexEditor will help you make your work a little easier, and give you a slick GUI to look at the whole time.
Installation of wxHexEditor:
Ubuntu, Debian, Linux Mint: $ sudo apt install wxhexeditor Arch Linux and Manjro: $ yay -S wxhexeditor
Closing Thoughts
In this tutorial, we counted down our top picks of the best hex editors available on a Linux system. We also learned how to install each one on all major Linux distros. The hex editor you should use will depend on the type of file you are trying to open and the interface you feel most comfortable in. All of these editors essentially function the same, but have different features.
