Hexadecimal (hex) is a base-16 numbering system using digits 0-9 and letters A-F to represent values. In text encoding, each character is represented by its hexadecimal ASCII or Unicode value. For example, the letter 'A' is represented as '41' in hex. This encoding is commonly used in programming, web development, and data representation because it's more compact than binary and more human-readable than raw bytes.
To convert text to hex, enter your text in the input field and the tool instantly encodes each character into its hexadecimal representation. To convert hex to text, paste your hexadecimal string (with or without spaces) and the tool decodes it back to readable characters. The conversion happens in real-time, and you can copy the result with a single click.
Hex encoding is widely used in HTML color codes (#FF5733), URL encoding (%20 for space), representing binary data in readable format, memory addresses in programming, MAC addresses in networking, and character encoding debugging. Web developers use it for colors and URL parameters, programmers use it for debugging byte values, and system administrators use it for analyzing network data and file formats.
Hexadecimal representation provides a compact, human-readable way to display binary data, makes it easier to spot patterns in data, works universally across platforms, and simplifies debugging of character encoding issues. It's more concise than binary (4 bits per character vs 8) while remaining more interpretable than raw binary. Hex is essential for any developer working with low-level data or debugging encoding problems.