hexdump

When working in the Linux environment, encountering hexdumps is usual, especially for those dealing with system level programming or network security. An often-asked question is how to efficiently convert these hexdumps back to their binary form. Here, we explore the streamlined command xxd -r -p, perfect for tasks needing a binary format without extra formatting like line breaks. A hexdump is a hexadecimal format (base 16) display of binary data. It is commonly used in debugging or inspecting data that doesn't lend itself well to being displayed in human-readable formats. A hexdump couples hexadecimal data representation with potentially corresponding ASCII characters (or '.' for non-printable characters).