macOS
Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install dhexlocal Homebrew formula metadata
MacPortsverified · 94%
sudo port install dhexMacPorts ports tree · editors/dhex/Portfile · source: api.github.com
brew
Install dhex with Homebrew, apk, apt, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, zypper
Ncurses based advanced hex editor featuring diff mode and more. Version 0.69 via Homebrew; verified from local package data.
install
Additional install commands
Linux
Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%
sudo apk add dhexAlpine Linux edge package indexes · dhex · source: dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org
Debian aptverified · 92%
sudo apt install dhexDebian stable package indexes · dhex · source: deb.debian.org
Fedora dnfverified · 92%
sudo dnf install dhexFedora Rawhide package metadata · dhex · source: dl.fedoraproject.org
Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#dhexnixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/dh/dhex/package.nix · source: api.github.com
Arch Linux pacmanverified · 92%
sudo pacman -S dhexArch Linux sync databases · dhex · source: geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com
openSUSE zypperverified · 92%
sudo zypper install dhexopenSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · dhex · source: download.opensuse.org
overview
Package summary
Ncurses based advanced hex editor featuring diff mode and more
Project links
Commands and aliases
- dhex
history
Project history and usage
dhex is an ncurses-based terminal hex editor with a built-in diff mode. Its niche is binary inspection and comparison from a console, including systems where a graphical editor is unavailable or inconvenient.
Project history
The official project page describes DHEX as more than another hex editor because it includes diff mode, ncurses display, theming, and search logs. The downloadable 0.69 README records the 0.6x branch history from an initial 0.60 release in 2010 through the final 0.69 release.
Adoption history
The official page lists successful operation on Linux, HP-UX, FreeBSD, NetBSD, Mac OS X, IRIX, and Solaris, which explains its appeal as a packaged terminal utility. The 2019 release note explicitly credits persistent users for convincing the author to publish another version.
How it is used
dhex opens one file for edit mode or two files for diff mode, supports search, bookmarks, a hex calculator, and configurable key/color mappings. On first run it creates a .dhexrc file in the user's home directory, and another config file may be selected with -f.
Why package nerds care
dhex is package-nerd useful because it combines two common emergency tools, a hex editor and binary diff viewer, into a small curses program. It is easy to ship on headless Unix systems and does not need a desktop stack.
Timeline
- 2004: Official page lists early 0.5x releases.
- 2010: README records 0.60 as the initial 0.6x release.
- 2011: Version 0.63 adds man pages.
- 2012: Version 0.67 adds base-address support for memory dumps.
- 2019: Version 0.69 is released as the final 0.6x update.
Related projects
- Standard Unix tools such as cmp and diff cover adjacent comparison workflows.
- Other terminal hex editors fill similar packaging niches, but dhex's official positioning centers on diff mode.
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.
local files
Configuration and credential file locations
These source-backed paths show where this package keeps local settings or durable credentials. Automic Vault can use them as review targets for secret scanning, migration, and command approval.
Configuration files
Config paths the tool may read or write during local use.
- Unix
~/.dhexrc
executables
Installed executables
| Command | Kind | Exposure | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
dhex | 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 version0.69
manager updated
local dataok
upstreamnot checked
latest detectednot detected
- infoNo package-manager update timestamp was available.low confidence
- infoRelease/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories.https://www.dettus.net/dhex/none confidence
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:dhex |
|---|---|
| Version | 0.69 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Package manager page | https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/dhex |
| Homepage | https://www.dettus.net/dhex/ |
| Upstream docs | https://www.dettus.net/dhex |
| License | GPL-2.0-or-later |
| Source archive | https://www.dettus.net/dhex/dhex_0.69.tar.gz |
| Uses from macOS | ncurses |
| 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 | dhex |
| Version Scheme | 0 |
| Revision | 0 |
| Bottle Stable Root URL | https://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core |
| Deprecated | no |
| Disabled | no |
| Keg Only | no |
| URL Keys |
|
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%
dhex 0.69-4+b1
ncurses based hex editor with diff mode
sudo apt install dhex- Section: editors
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: dhex
- 3 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Dhex
Nix95%
dhex
nix profile install nixpkgs#dhex- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Dhex
Ubuntu apt95%
dhex 0.69-4
ncurses based hex editor with diff mode
sudo apt install dhex- Section: universe/editors
- Architecture: amd64
- 3 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Dhex
apk95%
dhex 0.69-r3
ncurses hex editor with diff mode for binary file comparison, supports custom themes
sudo apk add dhex- License: GPL-2.0-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: dhex
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Dhex
apk95%
dhex-doc 0.69-r3
ncurses hex editor with diff mode for binary file comparison, supports custom themes (documentation)
sudo apk add dhex-doc- License: GPL-2.0-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: dhex
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Dhex
dnf95%
dhex 0.69-19.fc44
Ncurses based hexadecimal editor with a diff mode
sudo dnf install dhex- License: GPL-2.0-or-later
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: dhex
- 4 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Dhex
pacman95%
dhex 0.69-5
A ncurses-based hex editor with a diff mode
sudo pacman -S dhex- License: GPL-2.0-only
- Architecture: x86_64
- 1 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Dhex
zypper95%
dhex 0.69-2.5
Hexeditor with a Diff-mode for ncurses
sudo zypper install dhex- License: GPL-2.0-or-later
- Category: Productivity/File utilities
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: dhex
- 3 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Dhex
MacPorts95%
dhex
sudo port install dhex- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Dhex
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.
Used sources
- Geiger risk classifier
- Nucleus package database
- av.db category and tag curation
- cross-ecosystem install command graph
- curated configuration and credential file locations
- curated package history
- external package-manager database matches
- package relationship graph
- package version freshness
- package-page enrichment