HexCmp 2.36

HexCmp: Editor's Review of a Lightweight Hex Editor and Binary Compare Tool

HexCmp from Fairdell Software is a focused hex editor and binary comparison utility aimed at developers, reverse engineers, QA engineers, and IT professionals who need fast, reliable byte-level comparisons. The app combines on-the-fly binary comparison with an integrated hex editor, color highlighting and synchronous scrolling to speed investigations of differences between files.

Key features and workflow advantages

• On-the-fly byte-by-byte comparison: HexCmp compares files as you scroll, allowing you to inspect the portions of files that matter without waiting for a full-file analysis.
• Integrated hex editor: Edit and modify files directly in hex mode while comparing, with Undo/Redo support for quick experimentation and fixes.
• Synchronous file and cursor scrolling: Follow differences visually with linked scrolling and cursor synchronization across panes to speed navigation between mismatched blocks.
• Color highlighting and navigation: Differences and equal blocks are highlighted and can be jumped between for rapid triage.
• Info panel: View file and cursor information in multiple formats (char, byte, word, dword) to better understand data at the current position.
• Search in hex and text: Perform string and hex pattern searches in both representations to locate embedded data quickly.
• Efficient partial comparisons: Compare only the visible parts of large files to save time and focus on relevant regions.
• Large-file support: Handles files up to 4 GB, suitable for many binary and log-file scenarios.
• Keyboard-centric operation: Extensive hotkeys let power users work without the mouse for faster workflows.

Benefits for developers and testers

• Faster root-cause analysis: Byte-level visibility and synchronous scrolling make it easier to spot small but critical differences between builds, firmware blobs, or binary outputs.
• Immediate editing during comparison: Repair or tweak bytes directly while analyzing differences, reducing context switching to other tools.
• Time-saving partial comparisons: Inspect only screen-sized portions of large files to iterate quickly when exact byte ranges are known.
• Cross-language interface: Available in many languages (English, German, French, Russian, Dutch, Slovak, Czech, Greek, Estonian, Italian, Korean, Portuguese, Polish) which helps distributed teams adopt the tool.

Technical details and system compatibility

• Current version: 2.34.2.
• Supported platforms: Windows NT/2000/XP/Vista/7/8 and legacy Windows 95/98/ME variants.
• Disk requirements: Very small footprint (about 1 MB free disk space required).
• File size limit: Supports files up to 4 GB.

Purchase, download and licensing

• Price: USD 49.95 for a license.
• Download: Installer available from Fairdell Software's site.
• Support and updates: Support information and registration options are provided on the developer site.

Who should consider HexCmp

• Software developers and maintainers who need to compare compiled binaries, patch files or debug output at byte granularity.
• Firmware and embedded engineers working with binary images and needing fast visual diffing plus inline editing.
• QA engineers and testers validating binary outputs between releases or investigating corruption.
• Forensic analysts and reverse engineers who require a compact tool for quick comparisons and targeted edits.