Kaitai Struct
Kaitai Struct is an open-source binary data parsing language and library for parsing complex file formats. It allows developers to describe file formats and then generate code in different target languages to easily read and process those formats.
binary
parsing
file-formats
Kaitai Struct: Open-Source Binary Data Parsing Language & Library
Kaitai Struct is an open-source binary data parsing language and library for parsing complex file formats. It allows developers to describe file formats and then generate code in different target languages to easily read and process those formats.
What is Kaitai Struct?
Kaitai Struct is an open-source declarative language used to describe various binary data structures, lay out their serialization/deserialization algorithms, and generate source code in different programming languages. It aims to make parsing complex file formats easier by formally specifying the format, rather than writing hand-tuned parsing code.
Some key features and benefits of Kaitai Struct include:
- Language for describing file formats, including structs, user types, arrays, enums, streams, and conditional parsing logic
- Code generator that outputs code for reading/writing in languages like C++, C#, Java, JavaScript, PHP, Python, and Ruby
- Modular and extensible format specifications
- Support for zip, gz, bzip2, and encryption formats out of the box
- Validation checks while parsing data
- Visualization for debugging using web-based Kaitai Struct Visualizer
- Large collection of format specifications for common file types like fonts, media, documents, and network formats
- Active open source project with over 500 format specs
Kaitai Struct helps developers simplify working with binary file formats across platforms and languages. By formally describing the format, the complexity of parsing is handled, letting developers focus on using the data. The code generation lowers maintenance costs and avoids parsing bugs.
Kaitai Struct Features
Features
- DSL for describing binary data formats
- Code generation for reading/writing data in various languages
- Built-in validation of data structure constraints
- Hierarchical data format support
- Plugin ecosystem for parsing common formats
Pricing
- Open Source
Pros
Simplifies parsing complex binary formats
Good documentation and community support
Cross-platform and language-agnostic
Open source and free to use
Cons
Limited adoption outside niche use cases
Not as full-featured as some commercial binary parsing tools
Can have a learning curve for defining new format specs
Official Links
The Best Kaitai Struct Alternatives
Top Development and Data Parsing and other similar apps like Kaitai Struct
Here are some alternatives to Kaitai Struct:
Suggest an alternative ❐
HxD
HxD is a free and open-source hex editor, disk editor, and memory editor software for Windows. It enables users to view, edit, analyze, modify and export the raw binary data of files or disks at the byte level in either hexadecimal or ASCII formats.Some key features and capabilities of HxD...
WinHex
WinHex is a versatile hex editor, disk editor, and memory editor program for Windows. It enables users to efficiently edit, search, inspect, and analyze disk drives, memory, and other binary data. Some key features of WinHex include:Hexadecimal editor for files, disks, and physical memoryBuilt-in tools for data recovery, computer forensics,...
010 Editor
010 Editor is a powerful hex editor and text editor software used for analyzing and editing binary files. Some key features of 010 Editor include:Hex editor with nibble and bit level editing supportText editor with syntax highlighting for multiple languagesFile comparisons for finding binary file differencesCalculate checksums and hash values...
ImHex
ImHex is an advanced hex editor, disk editor, and debugger that enables viewing and editing binary files such as executables. It features a modern and intuitive UI providing powerful tools for data analysis and editing aimed towards IT security experts.Key features include:Fast binary editing using hex, decimal, octal, binary, and...
IHex
iHex is a feature-rich hex editor designed specifically for macOS. It enables users to view and manipulate the raw binary contents of files in an easy-to-use hexadecimal format. Some key features of iHex include:Intuitive user interface with color-coded bytes for easy reading of hex dataSupport for editing extremely large files...
FileAlyzer
FileAlyzer is a powerful file analysis application that helps you visualize, understand, and organize the files stored on your computer or network drives. It works by scanning your files and extracting useful information and insights from them.Some of the key features of FileAlyzer include:File visualization - See interactive visualizations of...
Hexinator
Hexinator is a powerful hexadecimal editor and disk editor for Windows. It allows you to view, edit, analyze, validate, and modify hexadecimal data. Some key features of Hexinator include:Supports files of any sizeFlexible viewing options (bytes, bits, UTF-8, UTF-16)Advanced search and replaceChecksum/hash calculationsData inspection and validationFile comparisonBookmarkingScripting and automationCan view...
Synalyze It!
Synalyze It! is a powerful yet easy-to-use text analysis software for qualitative data. Whether you're analyzing customer feedback, support tickets, user interviews, or open-ended survey responses, Synalyze It! reveals the key themes and insights you need.At its core, Synalyze It! is a text mining and analysis tool. It takes unstructured...
Hex Fiend
Hex Fiend is a popular and full-featured hex editor for macOS. As an open source tool, it is completely free to download and use. Hex Fiend enables users to view and edit the raw hexadecimal data of files on their system.With its simple and intuitive interface, Hex Fiend makes inspecting...
Preon
Preon is an open source Java library that can serialize Java objects into compact binary formats. It provides an alternative to text-based serialization protocols like JSON, XML, and YAML which can often result in bloated payloads.Some key features and benefits of Preon include:Lightweight and compact binary format - Results in...
Catch22 HexEdit
Catch22 HexEdit is a feature-packed free and open source hex editor software for Windows. It enables users to view and edit the raw binary content of files in hexadecimal or ASCII. Some key features include:Fast and lightweight with a simple interfacePowerful search and replace functionalities with regex supportGenerate checksums/hashes like...
FlexHex
FlexHex is a versatile and full-featured hex editor for Windows, macOS, and Linux. It enables users to view, edit, analyze, and compare binary files in an efficient and customizable interface.Some key features of FlexHex include:Multiple tabbed views to edit several files at onceVarious data visualization modes like hex, ASCII, decimal,...
