# 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 ```sh sudo av install brew:dhex ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install dhex ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata - MacPorts (94%): ```sh sudo port install dhex ``` Evidence: MacPorts ports tree: editors/dhex/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ### Linux - apk (92%): ```sh sudo apk add dhex ``` Evidence: Alpine Linux edge package indexes: dhex from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz - Debian apt (92%): ```sh sudo apt install dhex ``` Evidence: Debian stable package indexes: dhex from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz - dnf (92%): ```sh sudo dnf install dhex ``` Evidence: Fedora Rawhide package metadata: dhex from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst - Nix (92%): ```sh nix profile install nixpkgs#dhex ``` Evidence: nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/dh/dhex/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - pacman (92%): ```sh sudo pacman -S dhex ``` Evidence: Arch Linux sync databases: dhex from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz - zypper (92%): ```sh sudo zypper install dhex ``` Evidence: openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: dhex from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:dhex - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 0.69 - **Source summary:** Ncurses based advanced hex editor featuring diff mode and more - **Homepage:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** GPL-2.0-or-later - **Source archive:** - **Generated:** 2026-07-08T07:18:31+00:00 ## Executables - dhex (cli) - dhex (alias) ## Uses from macOS - ncurses ## Install behavior - Post-install hook: not defined - Bottle: available on arm64_big_sur, arm64_linux, arm64_monterey, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, arm64_ventura, big_sur, catalina, monterey, sonoma, ventura ## Freshness - Page generated: 2026-07-08 - Package-manager version: 0.69 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://www.dettus.net/dhex/ - info: No package-manager update timestamp was available. - info: Release/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories. ## 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 Notes narrow executable package without higher-risk signals. - **Geiger risk:** green / low - narrow executable package without higher-risk signals ## 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 - Unix: ~/.dhexrc ## Source Database Details - **Source Database:** Homebrew formula API - **Tap:** homebrew/core - **Full Name:** dhex - **Version Scheme:** 0 - **Revision:** 0 - **Bottle Stable Root URL:** - **Deprecated:** no - **Disabled:** no - **Keg Only:** no - **URL Keys:** stable ## Other Package-Manager Records - Debian apt - dhex - 0.69-4+b1: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: dhex from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | ncurses based hex editor with diff mode | https://www.dettus.net/dhex/ - Nix - dhex: normalized package name match | nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/dh/dhex/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - Ubuntu apt - dhex - 0.69-4: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: dhex from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | ncurses based hex editor with diff mode | https://www.dettus.net/dhex/ - apk - dhex - 0.69-r3: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: dhex from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | ncurses hex editor with diff mode for binary file comparison, supports custom themes | https://www.dettus.net/dhex/ - apk - dhex-doc - 0.69-r3: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: dhex-doc from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | ncurses hex editor with diff mode for binary file comparison, supports custom themes (documentation) | https://www.dettus.net/dhex/ - dnf - dhex - 0.69-19.fc44: normalized package name match | Fedora Rawhide package metadata: dhex from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst | Ncurses based hexadecimal editor with a diff mode | http://www.dettus.net/dhex/ - pacman - dhex - 0.69-5: normalized package name match | Arch Linux sync databases: dhex from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz | A ncurses-based hex editor with a diff mode | https://www.dettus.net/dhex - zypper - dhex - 0.69-2.5: normalized package name match | openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: dhex from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst | Hexeditor with a Diff-mode for ncurses | http://www.dettus.net/dhex/ - MacPorts - dhex: normalized package name match | MacPorts ports tree: editors/dhex/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ## Related links - [Terminal utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/terminal-utilities/) - Matched terminal and command-line workflow metadata. - [Text processing packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/text-processing-tools/) - Matched text, document, or structured-data processing metadata. - [Developer build packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/developer-build-tools/) - Matched build, compiler, generator, or developer workflow metadata. - [Networking and protocol packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/networking-protocol-tools/) - Matched network, protocol, or remote-service metadata. - [tweak](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/tweak/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: binary-editing, cli, developer-tools, hex-editor, ncurses. - [hexcurse](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/hexcurse/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, hex-editor, ncurses. - [ired](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/ired/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: binary-editing, cli, developer-tools, hex-editor. - [bvi](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/bvi/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, hex-editor. - [ghex](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/ghex/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, hex-editor. - [hexapoda](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/hexapoda/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, hex-editor. - [hexedit](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/hexedit/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, hex-editor. - [hyx](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/hyx/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, hex-editor. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/dhex.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/dhex.yml) ## Sources - Nucleus package database - Geiger risk classifier - package-page enrichment - curated configuration and credential file locations - curated package history - package version freshness - av.db category and tag curation - package relationship graph - external package-manager database matches - cross-ecosystem install command graph