2026-06-08 · 5 min read
- binary
- hex
Firmware docs, permission bitmasks, and color channels often express values in hex or binary. Converting between bases by hand is error-prone—especially with leading zeros and two's complement.
Quick reference
Hex pairs map cleanly to bytes (FF = 255), which is why memory dumps use it.
- Binary — bit flags (0b1010)
- Octal — legacy Unix permissions
- Decimal — everyday arithmetic
- Hex — memory addresses, color channels
Debugging workflow
When a register dump shows 0xFF, convert to binary to see which feature flags are enabled. Cross-check with datasheet bit positions.