Number Base Converter

Type a number in any base — binary, octal, decimal, or hex — and watch all four update simultaneously. BigInt-backed so 256-bit numbers work cleanly without precision loss. Includes bit visualization and signed-vs-unsigned interpretation toggle.

Why number bases matter

Computers count in binary, humans in decimal, and most low-level interfaces (memory addresses, byte sequences, color codes, UUIDs) use hex because it packs four bits into one digit. Octal still appears in Unix file modes (0755). Walking between these views is a daily move when you write systems-level code.

A good converter shows them all at once. Type in any one, the others update. No more mental math, no more typos translating mid-debug.

Bit width and signedness

A 32-bit signed integer holds values from -2,147,483,648 to 2,147,483,647. The same 32 bits unsigned hold 0 to 4,294,967,295. Hex 0xFFFFFFFF is -1 signed or 4,294,967,295 unsigned — depending on context. The converter shows both interpretations side-by-side and lets you pick a bit width (8 / 16 / 32 / 64 / 256) that matches your application.

Common workflows

Decode a flag register. Paste the hex, see the binary, identify which flag bits are set.

Convert a Unix file mode. chmod 755 is octal; the binary view shows the rwx pattern bit by bit.

Read a 64-bit memory address. Paste hex, see decimal for size comparisons.

Audit a hash output. SHA-256 lands as 64 hex chars. Convert any chunk to binary to inspect the bit pattern, useful when probing collision resistance experimentally.

Translate between RGB and hex color. 0xFF8800 → 255, 136, 0. Or use the dedicated Color Converter for full color-space support.

Why BigInt matters

Browser numbers are 64-bit floats — they overflow at 2^53 ≈ 9 × 10^15. A naive web converter silently produces wrong answers above that. Ours uses native BigInt, supported in every modern browser since 2019. We can convert a 256-bit private key cleanly without precision loss.

Last updated: 2025-01-15