install

Additional install commands

macOS

Homebrewverified · 100%

brew install bbe

local Homebrew formula metadata

MacPortsverified · 94%

sudo port install bbe

MacPorts ports tree · editors/bbe/Portfile · source: api.github.com

Linux

Debian aptverified · 92%

sudo apt install bbe

Debian stable package indexes · bbe · source: deb.debian.org

Nixverified · 92%

nix profile install nixpkgs#bbe

nixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/bb/bbe/package.nix · source: api.github.com

openSUSE zypperverified · 92%

sudo zypper install bbe

openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · bbe · source: download.opensuse.org

overview

Package summary

Sed-like editor for binary files

Project links

Commands and aliases

bbe

history

Project history and usage

bbe is a small sed-like editor for binary files. Instead of line-oriented text editing, it applies insert, delete, change, replace, and conversion operations to byte blocks in a stream.

Project history

Timo Savinen published the first bbe release, version 0.1.0, on 2005-09-15. The official project page describes the tool as developed in a GNU/Linux environment and distributed under GPL-2.0-or-later.

The 2005-2006 news log shows a compact burst of development: new block commands, script-file driven commands, binary operations, performance fixes, and documentation installation changes.

Adoption history

The official news page records Debian acceptance on 2005-11-06. The supplied package-manager facts show continuing availability in Homebrew, Debian, MacPorts, Nix, Ubuntu, and zypper.

How it is used

bbe is used where a stream editor is convenient but the data is not line-oriented text: byte-range editing, block extraction, binary replacements, and scripted conversion of structured binary input.

Why package nerds care

Package nerds care about bbe because it occupies a tidy old Unix niche: a tiny single-purpose filter that brings sed's scripting style to binary streams. Its Debian-era adoption and survival in multiple package managers make it a good example of small C utilities that remain useful long after active upstream development slows.

Timeline

2005-09-15: First version 0.1.0.
2005-11-06: Accepted into Debian unstable and testing.
2006-11-05: Version 0.2.2 released with command `x` added.

Related projects

Related tools include sed, dd, xxd, hex editors, and other byte-stream filters used in Unix binary-processing pipelines.

Sources

security posture

Risk level: green

narrow executable package without higher-risk signals.

Risk classifier

green risk · low confidence · appliance

Why

narrow executable package without higher-risk signals

Signals

metadata:no-higher-risk-signals

Install behavior

No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 13 platform targets.

Recommended review

Before unattended agent use, check whether the tool reads plaintext credentials, writes remote state, publishes artifacts, or shells out to plugins.

executables

Installed executables

Command	Kind	Exposure	Note
`bbe`	cli	global executable

freshness

Version and freshness

These signals separate page generation age, package-manager activity, and upstream release comparison. Version lag is warned only when an evidence URL and comparable versions are present.

page generated2026-07-08

manager version0.2.2

manager updated

local dataok

upstreamnot checked

latest detectednot detected

https://sourceforge.net/projects/bbe-/

infoNo package-manager update timestamp was available.low confidence
infoRelease/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories.https://sourceforge.net/projects/bbe-/none confidence

install metadata

Package metadata

Package key	brew:bbe
Version	0.2.2
Package manager	Homebrew
Package manager page	https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/bbe
Homepage	https://sourceforge.net/projects/bbe-/
Upstream docs	https://bbe-.sourceforge.net/
License	GPL-2.0-or-later
Source archive	https://downloads.sourceforge.net/project/bbe-/bbe/0.2.2/bbe-0.2.2.tar.gz
Bottle	available (on arm64_big_sur, arm64_linux, arm64_monterey, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, arm64_ventura, big_sur, catalina, monterey, sonoma, ventura, x86_64_linux)
Homebrew post-install	not defined
Service	none declared

registry facts

Source database details

Source Database	Homebrew formula API
Tap	homebrew/core
Full Name	bbe
Version Scheme	0
Revision	0
Bottle Stable Root URL	https://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core
Deprecated	no
Disabled	no
Keg Only	no
URL Keys	stable

source database matches

Other package-manager records

Matches are pulled from external package-manager indexes and kept separate from local Automic Vault package links.

Debian apt95%

bbe 0.2.2-6

sed-like editor for binary files

http://sourceforge.net/projects/bbe-/

sudo apt install bbe

Section: editors
Architecture: amd64
1 dependencies
normalized package name match
Matched by: Bbe

Debian stable package indexes · deb.debian.org · Debian stable package indexes: bbe from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz

Nix95%

bbe

nix profile install nixpkgs#bbe

normalized package name match
Matched by: Bbe

nixpkgs package indexes · api.github.com · nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/bb/bbe/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1

Ubuntu apt95%

bbe 0.2.2-5

sed-like editor for binary files

http://sourceforge.net/projects/bbe-/

sudo apt install bbe

Section: universe/editors
Architecture: amd64
1 dependencies
normalized package name match
Matched by: Bbe

Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes · archive.ubuntu.com · Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: bbe from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz

zypper95%

bbe 0.2.2-3.22

Binary Block Editor

https://sourceforge.net/projects/bbe-/

sudo zypper install bbe

License: GPL-2.0-or-later
Category: Unspecified
Architecture: x86_64
Source Package: bbe
3 dependencies
1 provides
normalized package name match
Matched by: Bbe

openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · download.opensuse.org · openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: bbe from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst

MacPorts95%

bbe

sudo port install bbe

normalized package name match
Matched by: Bbe

MacPorts ports tree · api.github.com · MacPorts ports tree: editors/bbe/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1

package graph

Links come from deterministic package relationships, av.db category and tag curation, ecosystem matches, and package hub membership.

source trail

Generated from repository data

This page is generated by av-web from the private package SQLite artifact built by scripts/generate-pkg-sqlite.py.

Combined YAML source

View the package source record on GitHub.

combined/bbe.yml

Used sources

Geiger risk classifier
Nucleus package database
av.db category and tag curation
cross-ecosystem install command graph
curated package history
external package-manager database matches
package relationship graph
package version freshness
package-page enrichment

Install bbe with Homebrew, apt, MacPorts, Nix, zypper