bswap_16 - Linux
Overview
The bswap_16 command is a utility that swaps the bytes of a 16-bit binary number. It is primarily useful for converting between different endiannesses, such as little-endian and big-endian.
Syntax
bswap_16 [OPTION]... 16-bit NUMBER
Options/Flags
- -r, –reverse: Reverse the order of the bytes.
Examples
Simple Swap
To swap the bytes of the 16-bit number 0x1234:
$ bswap_16 0x1234
0x3412
Reverse and Swap
To reverse the order of the bytes and then swap them:
$ bswap_16 -r 0x3412
0x1234
Common Issues
- Incorrect Input: Ensure that the input is a valid 16-bit binary number.
- Endianness Assumptions: Be aware that the default endianness of the platform may affect the results.
Integration
bswap_16 can be integrated with other commands for more complex tasks:
$ echo 0x1234 | bswap_16 | xxd -e
00000000: 34 12 4.
Related Commands
bswapendianhexdump