Hecate

Hecate is a terminal hex editor for inspecting and changing file data. It is best suited to technically comfortable users, particularly those doing reverse-engineering work, who want to interpret bytes in several ways without leaving a terminal.

Overview

Hecate places interpreted values beneath their hexadecimal bytes, making it possible to examine the same data as text, bit patterns, integers, or floating-point values. Date decoding and controls for signedness and endianness add useful ways to test what a field might represent. For reverse-engineering, this range of views is more valuable than a hex display alone; users who want a graphical editing workspace should look elsewhere.

The editor can change data in place and write those changes to disk. Tabbed browsing, large-file support, full-file search, and expressions for file offsets provide practical ways to move through unfamiliar data. Vim-like cursor controls will be a plus for users who already navigate that way, but may be less natural for others.

Key features

• Multiple value interpretations: View bytes as text, bit patterns, integers, or floating-point values, and use date decoding with a configurable epoch. This helps investigate data whose structure or meaning is not yet clear.
• Interpretation controls: Toggle signedness and endianness to examine how those choices affect a value. These controls are useful when a field's encoding is uncertain.
• Editing and navigation: Edit bytes in place, save changes to disk, browse in tabs, and search across the full file. Large-file support and offset expressions further serve users working through sizable or unfamiliar files.
• Terminal interaction: Vim-like cursor movement favors users comfortable with keyboard-driven navigation. The terminal format is a limitation for readers who prefer a visual interface.

Pricing

Hecate is free: its Free plan costs nothing and uses an MIT license. No plan limits are stated. The MIT license provides the software “AS IS” without warranty, so users should account for that when relying on it in important workflows.

Platforms

Hecate supports Linux, macOS, and Windows. It is a terminal application, not a graphical editor. The project also provides a Go command for compiling from source: go get -u github.com/evanmiller/hecate.

Who it's for

Hecate is a sensible fit for reverse-engineering and other byte-level work where comparing multiple interpretations, searching a whole file, or editing data directly matters. Its Vim-like controls make it especially appealing to terminal users familiar with that navigation style. Those who need a graphical environment or want an established release history should weigh its latest release, version 0.0.1, released May 20, before choosing it.

Pros and cons

• Pro: Several value modes, date decoding, and endianness and signedness controls make it easier to investigate ambiguous bytes.
• Pro: Full-file search, tabs, large-file support, and offset expressions address common navigation needs in file analysis.
• Pro: It is free, MIT-licensed software for Linux, macOS, and Windows.
• Con: The terminal interface and Vim-like movement are not a natural fit for users seeking graphical, pointer-driven editing.
• Con: The latest release is version 0.0.1, so users who prioritize a more mature release history may prefer another option.
• Con: The MIT license disclaims warranty, and the repository provides usage instructions rather than a stated support service.

Alternatives

Browse our Hex Editors guide for more options. Consider BinEd if Android support matters; it is free and open source, with Linux, macOS, web, and Windows support as well. HexEd.it is another free choice spanning Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, web, and Windows; its terms allow commercial and non-commercial use but prohibit copying the code to another server and selling it.

Bedrock Viz is free and GPL-2.0 licensed for Minecraft Bedrock Edition worlds, making it the more specific option for that use. REHex is free, GPL-2.0 licensed, and offers Windows, macOS, and Linux packages. dhex is a free Linux and macOS alternative.

ImHex is a free, open-source hex editor for Linux, macOS, and Windows. wxHexEditor is a free hex and disk editor for those same three platforms. Bless is a free Linux and Windows option distributed under GNU GPL-2.0-or-later and built from source.

Verdict

Choose Hecate if you want a free terminal hex editor that can show several interpretations of bytes and provides search and navigation tools for reverse-engineering work. Its principal advantage is the combination of value views and in-place editing; its terminal-only approach and version 0.0.1 release make it a less compelling choice for users seeking a graphical editor or a longer release history.