ABDiff icon ABDiff macOS

Binary inspection on macOS

Hex Diff and Mach-O Binary Tool for macOS

ABDiff compares arbitrary binary files with a byte-oriented hex diff, opens a single binary as a standalone hex viewer, and adds structured read-only views for Mach-O and other recognized formats.

This is useful when you need both raw byte evidence and semantic context: inspect hex and ASCII columns, then use parsed structure trees to map changes to sections, headers, metadata, and payload ranges.

View on the Mac App Store Mach-O Comparison Manual FAQ
  • Hex diff
  • Standalone hex viewer
  • Slice-aware inspection
  • Read-only review
ABDiff Mach-O comparison view on macOS
ABDiff Mach-O comparison view

When it is useful

  • Comparing arbitrary binary files byte by byte.
  • Opening a single binary for standalone hex inspection.
  • Reviewing binary output between builds.
  • Checking architecture slices and platform metadata before release.
  • Inspecting dylib dependencies, rpaths, and exported symbols.
  • Looking for possible private API signals before App Store submission.

Why hex plus structure matters

  • Hex and ASCII columns show the raw byte-level evidence without treating rendered hex as text.
  • Parsed structure trees link semantic sections back to byte ranges.
  • Headers, load commands, and exports carry different meaning and should not be flattened into one opaque binary blob.
  • Read-only presentation keeps the review focused on inspection rather than accidental editing.

What ABDiff inspects

Area Why it matters
Hex bytes Compare insertions, deletions, and replacements at byte offsets with hex and ASCII context.
Standalone files Open one binary as a read-only hex viewer when there is no comparison side yet.
Structured formats Review recognized archives, media files, databases, executables, and containers by parsed sections.
Header and slices Review CPU targets, file type, and universal-binary slice layout.
Load commands Inspect platform versions, dylib dependencies, and runtime paths.
Segments Understand structural layout changes inside the Mach-O image.
Exports See public symbol changes, including Swift and Objective-C exports.
Private API candidates Surface heuristics that may deserve extra review before distribution.

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