If you are just starting out in reverse engineering or need to edit binariesChoosing a hexadecimal editor can be a bit of a challenge: there are classic options, others that are very powerful, some that are outdated, and even web-based alternatives that get you out of trouble without installing anything. Here you'll find a complete and up-to-date guide with the most relevant tools for Linux, Windows, and multiplatform applications, as well as online tools and console utilities.
In the forums you still read questions like “what is the best hexadecimal editor?” for starters?” or comments like “the lists have been repeating the same thing for years.” The good news is that today we have veteran editors that are still relevant alongside modern options.; even recent projects like imhex are mentioned on GitHub, although in some cases there are fewer public references. Below, we review all the notable alternatives and what scenarios each one is suitable for.
What is a hex editor and what is it used for?
A hex editor is a software for opening and modifying low-level binary data. Works directly in bytes and displays content in clearly differentiated areas: on the left is the offset or address, in the center are the hexadecimal values, and on the right are their character representations (ASCII or other). This allows you to change values without corrupting the file, make small patches, study structures, or analyze device sectors.
These editors are common in debugging, data recovery, forensics, file format and, of course, reverse engineering. Some include advanced features such as pattern searching, binary comparison, structure templates, or device editing. (disks, removable drives) and process memory.
Editors for Linux
Linux has a very varied rangeFrom simple graphical interfaces to tools for huge files or extreme console utilities. These are the standout options and their strengths.
GHex (GNOME): A “headend” editor in GNOME. It displays data in hexadecimal and ASCII and allows you to view decimal and octal values when selecting bytes. It includes search and replace, multi-level undo/redo, and a configurable MDI approach for opening multiple documents and views. Ideal for those looking for integration and simplicity in GNOME environments.
Okteta (KDE): Successor to KHexEdit, designed for byte-level editing. It displays values and characters in columns, allows display profiles, and supports binary, octal, decimal, and hex numbers. Previous listings also highlighted its ability to open remote files via HTTP, FTP, or FISH, something very useful in network scenarios.
Bless: Fast, customizable GTK-based desktop hex editor. Supports large files, efficient undo/redo, multi-tab and plugin systemIt's a solid choice if you work with multiple binaries at once and value extensibility.
wxHexEditorDesigned for huge files and devices, with reverse engineering in mind. It can handle sizes of several exabytes, open disks and edit sectors, and compare and work with multiple files. It consumes few resources and works on Linux, Windows and macOS, although it hasn't had any major updates for a while.
Hexedit (console): classic of terminal. It displays Hex and ASCII, allows quick navigation and direct editing. More complete collections include advanced features such as Keystroke macros, color schemes, EBCDIC support, bookmarks, change tracking and a wide range of data inspectors to interpret types (dates, floats, integers). Very useful when working with SSH or on servers.
Hexcurse: based on ncurses and written in C. It offers agile file editing, Hex/ASCII switching, quick shortcuts and counters like number of characters per lineIt is comfortable to move around with the keyboard and make precise changes.
Dhex: another ncurses editor with a great advantage: diff mode for comparing binary files. It allows you to define base addresses in different formats (binary, decimal, octal, hex), uses lookup registers and marker files, and supports invoking the comparison by navigating to two files. It is case-sensitive.
Witcher: multi-buffer with line editing commands vi/vim style, multi-level undo and temporary .hexer files to record changes. It doesn't edit block devices, but it's highly customizable and powerful for those who prefer "command-based" flows.
Vim + xxd: Vim can edit binaries with the help of xxd. With :%!xxd you convert to hexdump and with :%!xxd -r you return to the original binary. It can be automated with hooks so that the buffer is treated in hex mode when reading/writing. Perfect if your usual editor is Vim and you don't want to switch tools.
Emacs (hexl-mode): hexl mode transforms the buffer into a hex view with address, bytes and ASCII. It allows go out and come back without losing state and offers utilities like hexlify-buffer, searching, and editing with the flexibility of Emacs.
Jeex: based on Gtk+, free and open source. In addition to editing/viewing in hex, allows you to extract strings, use markers, analyze character frequency and work in multiple formats (binary, octal, decimal, and hex). Simple and functional interface.
Fileobj: written in Python with vi-style ncurses interface. Supports insert, replace, delete, undo/redo, cut/paste, visual selection, partial buffer loading and binary mapping to C structures. Ideal for editing specific portions of large files without loading the entire file.
Joe (-hex mode): Modeless text editor with built-in help. Run joe -hex path/to/file to enter hexadecimal mode. Configurable, with classic WordStar/Turbo C type shortcuts and available from the usual repos (apt/yum).
VBdiff: binary diff viewer that open two files and compare in parallel, designed for large files. It uses submodules for construction and maintains synchronization even when bytes are inserted or deleted, which is key for robust diffs.
HexCmp: combines binary comparison and hex editing in a single app. The comparison is in real time on the visible part, with synchronized scrolling, information panel and color highlighting. Handles large files (up to ~4 GB) with block navigation.
010 Editor: reference in binary templates. Instead of seeing just bytes, analyzes hierarchical structures using Templates, which makes it easier to understand complex formats. It supports very large files (over 50 GB), scripting, unlimited undo, and process memory editing and multiple file types (C/C++, Unicode/UTF-8, XML/HTML, text, etc.).
Binary Ninja: focused on reverse engineering, with graphical views and improved PE analyzer. Allows rename Symbols, type structures from the graph and leverage the Python library for automation. It's not a traditional hex editor, but it's perfect when the analysis goes beyond byte dumping.
Kaitai Struct: Declarative language for describing binary formats (files or network streams). You write a .ksy, compile it, and the viewer debugs formatting, parses data, and handles endiannessVery useful for generating parsers and understanding complex structures in combination with a hex editor.
MadEdit-Mod: editor with hex mode that incorporates interface improvements such as Drag and drop, highlighting, triple-click selection, search across all open documents and advanced column-mode features.
Hexinator: Powerful, aimed at advanced users. It uses an analysis engine to study binary files in depth, creates reusable grammars, allows note-taking and export to text or XML. A good complement for complex analysis work.
Editors for Windows
If you work on Windows There are very mature options, from the most basic and lightweight to professional tools with paid variants.
- Advantages: Free, highly compatible, includes decimal and octal editing, available in Spanish.
- Disadvantages: without any relevant objections noted in the source consulted.
BitEdit9: free alternative compatible with hex, decimal, binary, and octal. It works from Windows 2000 and is translated into Spanish, although it is noted that it has not been updated for years and there are inconsistencies about location depending on the source.
- We like: multi-base support, free, translation available.
- We don't like: Infrequent updates and language issues in some builds.
WinVi: open source, in addition to hex supports ASCII, DOS, EBCDIC, UTF-8 and UTF-16; allows you to join files and has powerful string searching. Compatible with Windows 2000 and later. Windows 11, although without recent updates. Free, classic interface, and not translated into Spanish.
- Advantages: free, multiple encodings, practical utilities such as merging files.
- Disadvantages: outdated interface and no Spanish localization.
Catch22 HexEdit: : your big card is the maximum size: up to 16 exabytes (theoretical limit of NTFS). Includes hex, octal, decimal, and binary editing, comparison, printing, and working with multiple files. Available in 32- and 64-bit versions, starting with Windows 2000. Legacy interface and untranslated.
- We like: handles huge files, 32/64-bit versions.
- We don't like: outdated interface and no translation.
Free Hex Editor Neo: Free version and paid editions. It is advertised as very fast, with change history, clipboard binary, undo, advanced searches and the ability to open files up to 1 TB. A portable version is available; the free version lacks some features and is not translated into Spanish.
- We like: portability, performance, and huge file management.
- We don't like: Advanced features only in paid editions; no Spanish.
LopeEdit Pro y UltraEdit: Text editors for programmers that include hexadecimal mode. LopeEdit adds tabs, syntax highlighting, useful panels (FTP, projects, console, ASCII table) And more; UltraEdit offers auto-completion, multi-editing, FTP, and hex editing, among many other tools. These are interesting options if you already work with them for code and want the built-in hex mode.
Cross-platform editors
wxHexEditor y 010 Editor shine in this category. wxHexEditor is free and very capable of handling huge devices and files; 010 Editor, on the other hand, offers Binary templates, scripting, and memory editing with outstanding performance on very large files. Depending on your budget and needs, one or the other will be a better fit.
Console Viewers and Utilities
For quick analysis tasks or integration into scripts, console utilities are pure gold.
hexyl: Terminal viewer that highlights ASCII bytes, non-ASCII bytes, NULL, spaces, etc. by color. Improves dump readability and displays accounts and detailed textual representation. It doesn't edit, but as a viewer it's very convenient.
xxd: tool to dump a file to hexadecimal and rebuild the binary from the hexdumpPerfect for searches and pipelines, and integrated into Vim workflows.
Edit hex on the web
If you don't want to install anything, Online options resolve specific issues with solvency.
HexEd.it: Spanish-translated and highly configurable interface. Allows you to choose visible data types, character set, bytes per row and view not only hex but also octal, linear, and binary. Supports Ctrl+F, saving changes, creating new files, and opening multiple files at once.
Online Hex Editor: simple but with useful resources. Includes Powerful search, hash calculator, byte order display in various formats and support for large files (no specified limit). Free and in English.
Useful catalogs and repositories
In the cdlibre.org catalog, under “Utilities > Hexadecimal Editors”, they are listed Frhed 1.6.0, Hexplorer 2.6 and wxMEdit 3.2It is a practical resource for downloads Clean and installation notes (for example, wxMEdit doesn't require installation: just unzip and run). Last published modification: 14th September 2025.
In that period it is indicated: “New programs included from September 1, 2025: None” y “Programs updated since September 1, 2025: None”. While there aren't any recent changes, it's still a good index for locating builds and documentation.
Tips if you are just starting out
If you are a beginner and looking for something easy, in Linux start with GHex or Okteta; on Windows, HxD is a safe bet thanks to its clear interface and translation. If you prefer the terminal, hexyl as a viewer and xxd to convert will make your everyday life more comfortable.
To compare binaries, consider Dhex (diff mode) or VBdiff; if your focus is reverse engineering, take it a step further with 010 Editor (Templates), Binary Ninja or Kaitai Struct to describe structures and analyze formats. And if you just need a one-off edition, HexEd.it is a very comprehensive Spanish-language web option.
And what about "modern"? Although some threads mention imhex as a recent alternative, There is not yet much comparative literature in the sources we've reviewed. Trying it isn't a bad idea if you're up for experimenting, but the above gives you a proven base for almost any task.
With all the above you have a realistic map of the ecosystemFrom classics like HxD or GHex to niche tools (VBdiff, HexCmp), from beasts for huge files (wxHexEditor, Catch22) to advanced suites with templates and analysis (010 Editor, Kaitai, Binary Ninja). Choose based on your platform, whether you need to compare, file size, and whether you value online editing without installation.
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