hexdump

Print the hexadecimal representation of a file

$ hexdump [path/to/file]

$ hexdump -C [path/to/file]

$ hexdump -C -n [number_of_bytes] [path/to/file]

$ hexdump -v [path/to/file]

hexdump [options] file...

hexdump displays file contents in hexadecimal, decimal, octal, or ASCII formats. It's essential for examining binary files, debugging data formats, and analyzing file structures.
The -C (canonical) format is most commonly used, showing offset, hex bytes, and ASCII representation side by side. By default, repeated identical lines are replaced with '*' to save space.
Custom format strings (-e) allow precise control over output format for scripting and automation.

-C, --canonical

Canonical hex+ASCII display (most common format)

Interpret only LENGTH bytes of input

Skip OFFSET bytes from the beginning

Display all lines (don't compress identical lines)

Specify custom format string

One-byte octal display

One-byte character display

Two-byte decimal display

Two-byte octal display

Two-byte hexadecimal display

Large files produce enormous output; use -n to limit. The default format isn't the most readable; use -C for practical inspection. For editing hex, consider tools like xxd or hexedit.

hexdump originated in BSD Unix and is part of the util-linux package on Linux systems. It provides functionality similar to the older od (octal dump) command but with more flexible formatting options.

xxd(1), od(1), hexyl(1), strings(1)