Automic VaultAutomic Vault

brew

Install hexedit with Homebrew, apk, apt, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, zypper

View and edit files in hexadecimal or ASCII. Version 1.6 via Homebrew; verified from local package data.

Install commandSecurity notes

install

Additional install commands

macOS

Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install hexedit

local Homebrew formula metadata

MacPortsverified · 94%
sudo port install hexedit

MacPorts ports tree · sysutils/hexedit/Portfile · source: api.github.com

Linux

Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%
sudo apk add hexedit

Alpine Linux edge package indexes · hexedit · source: dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org

Debian aptverified · 92%
sudo apt install hexedit

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

Fedora dnfverified · 92%
sudo dnf install hexedit

Fedora Rawhide package metadata · hexedit · source: dl.fedoraproject.org

Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#hexedit

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

Arch Linux pacmanverified · 92%
sudo pacman -S hexedit

Arch Linux sync databases · hexedit · source: geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com

openSUSE zypperverified · 92%
sudo zypper install hexedit

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

overview

Package summary

View and edit files in hexadecimal or ASCII

Commands and aliases

  • hexedit

history

Project history and usage

hexedit is a long-lived terminal hex editor for viewing and modifying files in hexadecimal and ASCII.

Project history

The upstream Changes file starts in July 1998 and records a burst of development toward a practical full-screen editor: bold display for modified bytes, selection, copy and paste, backward search, saving selected regions, modeline behavior, opening additional files, undo behavior, and safer error handling. Version 1.0.0 was released in September 1998.

The project continued with portability and terminal fixes through the 2000s, including 64-bit file offsets, Digital UNIX and Solaris build fixes, safer input handling, color support, and device-size handling. The GitHub repository, created in 2008, became the visible source-control home for later maintenance.

Adoption history

hexedit's adoption comes from being a small, traditional Unix terminal utility with a manpage, curses-style interaction, and no service dependencies. The input package metadata records packages across Homebrew, Debian, Fedora/dnf, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, Ubuntu, zypper, and apk, and the Homebrew formula packages the 1.6 GitHub tag archive.

How it is used

hexedit shows the same file in ASCII and hexadecimal and can edit regular files or devices by reading pieces at a time. Its man page documents sector formatting, display maximization, explicit line lengths, color output, movement keys, search, mark/copy/paste, fill, truncation, save, open, and quit commands.

Why package nerds care

hexedit is a classic package-index resident: old enough to have 1990s portability notes, small enough to remain easy to build, and useful enough that many Unix-like package managers keep it available. It represents the interactive editor branch of hex tooling, complementing dumpers such as hexdump, od, xxd, hx, and hexd.

Timeline

  • 1998-07: Changes file begins; modified-byte display, selection, copy/paste, backward search, and install support are added.
  • 1998-09: 1.0.0 release recorded.
  • 2001: 1.2.1 switches toward 64-bit file offsets and configure cleanup.
  • 2005: 1.2.11 and 1.2.12 add color build support and color display defaults where supported.
  • 2008: GitHub repository created.
  • 2017: 1.4 series adds terminal resizing support and build fixes.
  • 2020: 1.5 fixes long-string search, 32-bit off_t handling, resize handling, and copy/paste behavior.
  • 2022: 1.6 updates configure behavior, ncurses signal handling, allocation checks, leak handling, and empty-file behavior.

Related projects

  • hexedit is related to other interactive terminal hex editors such as Hexcurse and to byte dump tools such as hexdump, od, xxd, hx, hexd, and hevi. Its manual notes an Emacs-like modeline and key vocabulary, reflecting its terminal-editor heritage.

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.
  • Build metadata lists 2 build dependencies.

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

CommandKindExposureNote
hexeditcliglobal 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 version1.6
manager updated
local dataok
upstreamcurrent
latest detected1.6

https://github.com/pixel/hexedit

  • infoNo package-manager update timestamp was available.low confidence

install metadata

Package metadata

Package keybrew:hexedit
Version1.6
Package managerHomebrew
Package manager pagehttps://formulae.brew.sh/formula/hexedit
Homepagehttps://rigaux.org/hexedit.html
Repositoryhttps://github.com/pixel/hexedit
Upstream docshttps://rigaux.org/hexedit.html
LicenseGPL-2.0-or-later
Source archivehttps://github.com/pixel/hexedit/archive/refs/tags/1.6.tar.gz
Build dependenciesautoconf, automake
Uses from macOSncurses
Bottleavailable (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-installnot defined
Servicenone declared

registry facts

Source database details

Source DatabaseHomebrew formula API
Taphomebrew/core
Full Namehexedit
Version Scheme0
Revision0
Head VersionHEAD
Bottle Stable Root URLhttps://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core
Deprecatedno
Disabledno
Keg Onlyno
URL Keys
  • head
  • 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%

hexedit 1.6-2

viewer and editor in hexadecimal or ASCII for files or devices

https://github.com/pixel/hexedit

sudo apt install hexedit
  • Section: editors
  • Architecture: amd64
  • 3 dependencies
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Hexedit
Debian stable package indexes · deb.debian.org · Debian stable package indexes: hexedit from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz
Nix95%

hexedit

nix profile install nixpkgs#hexedit
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Hexedit
nixpkgs package indexes · api.github.com · nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/he/hexedit/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1
Ubuntu apt95%

hexedit 1.6-1

viewer and editor in hexadecimal or ASCII for files or devices

https://github.com/pixel/hexedit

sudo apt install hexedit
  • Section: universe/editors
  • Architecture: amd64
  • 3 dependencies
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Hexedit
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes · archive.ubuntu.com · Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: hexedit from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz
apk95%

hexedit 1.6_git20230905-r0

View and edit files in hexadecimal or in ASCII

https://github.com/pixel/hexedit

sudo apk add hexedit
  • License: GPL-2.0-only
  • Architecture: x86_64
  • Source Package: hexedit
  • 1 dependencies
  • 1 provides
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Hexedit
Alpine Linux edge package indexes · dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org · Alpine Linux edge package indexes: hexedit from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/testing/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz
apk95%

hexedit-doc 1.6_git20230905-r0

View and edit files in hexadecimal or in ASCII (documentation)

https://github.com/pixel/hexedit

sudo apk add hexedit-doc
  • License: GPL-2.0-only
  • Architecture: x86_64
  • Source Package: hexedit
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Hexedit
Alpine Linux edge package indexes · dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org · Alpine Linux edge package indexes: hexedit-doc from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/testing/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz
dnf95%

hexedit 1.6-10.fc44

A hexadecimal file viewer and editor

http://rigaux.org/hexedit.html

sudo dnf install hexedit
  • License: GPL-2.0-or-later
  • Category: Unspecified
  • Architecture: x86_64
  • Source Package: hexedit
  • 4 dependencies
  • 1 provides
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Hexedit
Fedora Rawhide package metadata · dl.fedoraproject.org · Fedora Rawhide package metadata: hexedit from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst
pacman95%

hexedit 1.6-3

View and edit files in hexadecimal or in ASCII

https://rigaux.org/hexedit.html

sudo pacman -S hexedit
  • License: GPL-2.0-or-later
  • Architecture: x86_64
  • 2 dependencies
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Hexedit
Arch Linux sync databases · geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com · Arch Linux sync databases: hexedit from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz
zypper95%

hexedit 1.6-1.13

Hexadecimal editor for binary files

https://github.com/pixel/hexedit

sudo zypper install hexedit
  • License: GPL-2.0-or-later
  • Category: Development/Tools/Editor
  • Architecture: x86_64
  • Source Package: hexedit
  • 3 dependencies
  • 1 provides
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Hexedit
openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · download.opensuse.org · openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: hexedit from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst
MacPorts95%

hexedit

sudo port install hexedit
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Hexedit
MacPorts ports tree · api.github.com · MacPorts ports tree: sysutils/hexedit/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.

Related tools

  • autoconfBuild dependency declared by Homebrew.
  • automakeBuild dependency declared by Homebrew.

Same workflow

  • bviShares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, hex-editor, terminal.
  • hexapodaShares av.db curated category or tags: binary, cli, developer-tools, hex-editor.
  • hexcurseShares av.db curated category or tags: binary, cli, developer-tools, hex-editor.
  • hyxShares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, hex-editor, terminal.
  • iredShares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, hex-editor, terminal.
  • tweakShares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, hex-editor, terminal.

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.

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