Base16 vs Hex

Base16 and hexadecimal are interchangeable terms. Each byte is represented by two characters drawn from sixteen symbols. Uppercase A–F and lowercase a–f are both common; some checksum tools output uppercase by default while many programming libraries produce lowercase. Unless an interface is case-sensitive, they compare equal.

Hex is a human-friendly way to display binary data such as digests, keys, and wire formats. When bandwidth is a concern, encodings likeBase64 are more compact (4/3 overhead). For URL contexts, consider Base64url.

Related tools

Try: Hex encoder/decoder, Base32, Base64

FAQ

Is Base16 exactly the same as hex?

Yes. Base16 is a formal name for the same representation commonly called hexadecimal. Both use digits 0–9 and letters A–F to encode bytes.

Should I use uppercase or lowercase hex?

Functionally they are equivalent. Pick one style and keep it consistent across your APIs and UIs unless a system requires a specific case.