30+ hex dump tools for Windows!

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vevy
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Joined: Tue Sep 10, 2019 11:17 am

30+ hex dump tools for Windows!

#1 Post by vevy »

Here are some "dump hex" CLI tools available for Windows:
  1. hexdump [util-linux]
  2. hexdump [BusyBox] (simplified implementation of the above). BusyBox itself has more than one implementation.
  3. od [Coreutils]
  4. od [BusyBox]
  5. od [uutils]
  6. xxd ports (e.g. in gvim)
  7. xxd [BusyBox]
  8. hexdump [Yori]
  9. hexdump [hextools]
  10. sfk hexdump
  11. HexDump [Mahoning Valley Software]
  12. Byte2hex
  13. hexdump [DI Management] ("simplified version of the Linux utility")
  14. hexdump (Ron Charlton).
  15. https://github.com/nicolasbauw/hexdump-lt
  16. https://github.com/rickkas7/crc32_and_xxd
  17. https://github.com/hollasch/hex
  18. https://github.com/jaxhax-travis/0xdump
  19. https://sourceforge.net/projects/lessbin/
  20. https://sourceforge.net/projects/hexviewer/
  21. http://www.mklasson.com/hexit.php
  22. http://www.zz9pza.net/dump/
  23. http://www.richpasco.org/utilities/hexdump.html
  24. http://bytepointer.com/tools/index.htm#bd
  25. hex
  26. http://adoxa.altervista.org/xd/index.html
  27. xd [fourmilab]
  28. hexdump [dcs]
  29. http://www.diamondspirit.net/adunk/soft ... xdump.html
  30. An "xxd implementation". Download link.
  31. vbindiff (a TUI). Shows dump when a single file is opened.
  32. Cygutils dump (Doesn't need full cygwin)
  33. https://kmrconsulting.com/freeutil (od)
  34. This batch file using certutil!
And many more tools that can double has hex viewers/dumpers.

Such wealth of tools begging to be collected and organized in a usable way!

The point of adding all these tools is to make a repository for all available tools because there is currently none. I don't know which of these tools is better at what (yet). One's preferred/best-known tool can suddenly fail him and you don't know which alternative can work on that situation. Also, this is just laying the best foundation for curation because of all the hidden gems out there.


There are multiple reasons to choose one of the dump tools over the others:
  • Some people want the first working tool they can find.
  • Some go for the most popular/supported tools
  • Some want the fastest tools (I noticed significant differences in speed with hexdump tools in identical conditions)
  • Some want tools that can handle large files
  • Some want a TUI with search and highlight etc.
  • Some want a tool already included in their toolset (e.g. BusyBox or sfk)
  • These tools have different styles of hex output (spacing, separators etc) which affects readability or space constraints.
  • Some tools have colored output
  • Some may not run on an older system or without certain dependencies

My point is: Whether a tool is "worth considering" is something I leave for the user because they know what they want better than me. I simply collect and add these tools because no one else did so far on the internet (for Windows at least). There are already multiple curated lists out there. I don't want to ignore tools because I think, at this moment, that they are not useful or interesting.
Last edited by vevy on Wed Nov 11, 2020 12:15 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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SYSTEM
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Location: Helsinki, Finland

Re: 30+ hex dump tools for Windows

#2 Post by SYSTEM »

For the record, this post was borne out of my PM debate with vevy about how useful filters would be.

Another tool (that vevy omitted from his list :P ) is PowerShell Format-Hex. Comes with Windows starting from Windows 10 Anniversary Update, available on older versions and macOS/Linux by manually installing PowerShell Core.
My YouTube channel | Release date of my 13th playlist: August 24, 2020

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vevy
Posts: 795
Joined: Tue Sep 10, 2019 11:17 am

Re: 30+ hex dump tools for Windows!

#3 Post by vevy »

I am on the fence when it comes to PowerShell. It is technically a shell, and for the command line. But on the other hand, it is pretty much a language. And it does so much and exposes so many API functions that I am not sure how we can fit that in the current paradigm. Like, would you create an entry for each function it can do, or would we create a massive entry for everything?

I am thinking about just adding it as an "alternative shell" and leave it at that. Just to remind the user that it is an option.

I want to hear people's thoughts.

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