---
title: Install bin2src on Ubuntu using the Snap Store | Snapcraft
description: Get the latest version of bin2src for on Ubuntu - Convert bytes to source
  code
url: https://snapcraft.io/install/bin2src/ubuntu
---

[Canonical Snapcraft](https://snapcraft.io/)

# Install bin2src on **Ubuntu**

# bin2src

[Tim McNamara (tim-clicks)](https://snapcraft.io/publisher/tim-clicks "View all snaps from Tim McNamara (tim-clicks)")

* [Tim McNamara (tim-clicks)](https://snapcraft.io/publisher/tim-clicks "View all snaps from Tim McNamara (tim-clicks)")
* [Development](https://snapcraft.io/search?categories=development)
* [Utilities](https://snapcraft.io/search?categories=utilities)

[Install](https://snapcraft.io/install/bin2src/ubuntu#install)

#### Convert bytes to source code

**About**

`bin2src` takes an input stream of bytes and converts
that into source code. That source code version of the
input can then be easily embedded into your project with Copy+Paste.

**Usage**

Read bytes from STDIN and write them to STDOUT:

```
 $ echo "hello" | bin2src
 \x68\x65\x6c\x6c\x6f\x0a
```

Note that there is no need to convert your input bytes to a plain text encoding:

```
 $ head -c 10 /dev/urandom | bin2src
 \x30\xc7\x18\x67\x5b\xc3\x7b\x7d\x12\xcd
```

The primary purpose of `bin2src` is to facilitate embedding binary blobs into software source code.

To specify an output format, use the `-f` option ("f" for format):

```
 $ head -c 10 /dev/urandom | bin2src -f python
 DATA = """\x22\x82\x2d\xd4\xb8\x8c\x36\xb4\x35\x21"""
```

If you would like to change the variable name, use the `-a` option ("a" is a common mathematical variable):

```
 $ head -c 10 /dev/urandom | bin2src -f python -a RAND_BYTES
 RAND_BYTES = """\xf5\xde\x5e\xdc\x66\xeb\x89\x24\x13\xd5"""
```

Other options are available. See the full list by running `bin2src --help`.

**Supported output formats**

* plaintext (default)
* go
* rust
* python

### Package name

* bin2src

---

### License

* unset

---

### Last updated

* 10 April 2019 - latest/stable
* 10 April 2019 - latest/edge

This snap hasn't been updated in a while. It might be unmaintained and have stability or security issues.

---

### Websites

* [github.com/timClicks/bin2src](https://github.com/timClicks/bin2src "https://github.com/timClicks/bin2src")

---

### Contact

* [tim.mcnamara@canonical.com](mailto:tim.mcnamara@canonical.com "mailto:tim.mcnamara@canonical.com")

---

##### Report a Snap Store violation

* [Report this Snap](https://snapcraft.io/install/bin2src/ubuntu#report-snap-modal)

---

## Enable snaps on Ubuntu and install bin2src

Snaps are applications packaged with all their dependencies to run on all popular Linux distributions from a single build. They update automatically and roll back gracefully.

Snaps are discoverable and installable from the [Snap Store](https://snapcraft.io/store), an app store with an audience of millions.

### Enable snapd

If you’re running [Ubuntu 16.04 LTS (Xenial Xerus)](https://www.ubuntu.com/) or later, including [Ubuntu 18.04 LTS (Bionic Beaver)](https://www.ubuntu.com/desktop/features) and [Ubuntu 20.04 LTS (Focal Fossa)](https://wiki.ubuntu.com/FocalFossa/ReleaseNotes), you don’t need to do anything. Snap is already installed and ready to go.

For versions of Ubuntu between [14.04 LTS (Trusty Tahr)](https://wiki.ubuntu.com/TrustyTahr/ReleaseNotes) and [15.10 (Wily Werewolf)](https://wiki.ubuntu.com/WilyWerewolf/ReleaseNotes), as well as Ubuntu flavours that don’t include *snap* by default, *snap* can be installed from the Ubuntu Software Centre by searching for *snapd*.

Alternatively, snapd can be installed from the command line:

```
sudo apt update
sudo apt install snapd
```

Either log out and back in again, or restart your system, to ensure snap’s paths are updated correctly.

### Install bin2src

To install bin2src, simply use the following command:

```
sudo snap install bin2src
```

### Other popular snaps…

[See more...](https://snapcraft.io/search?categories=featured)

[See more in Featured](https://snapcraft.io/search?categories=featured)

### More things to do…

#### [Get the snap store](https://snapcraft.io/snap-store)

Browse and find snaps from the convenience of your desktop using the snap store snap.

#### [Learn more about snaps](https://snapcraft.io/docs)

Interested to find out more about snaps? Want to publish your own application? Visit [snapcraft.io](https://snapcraft.io/) now.

[Back to top](https://snapcraft.io/install/bin2src/ubuntu)

© 2026 Canonical Ltd.
Ubuntu and Canonical are registered trademarks of Canonical Ltd.

Powered by [Charmed Kubernetes](https://www.ubuntu.com/kubernetes)

[Join the forum](https://forum.snapcraft.io/), contribute to or report problems with,
[snapd](https://bugs.launchpad.net/snapd),
[Snapcraft](https://bugs.launchpad.net/snapcraft),
or [this site](https://github.com/canonical/snapcraft.io/issues/new).

* [Share on Twitter](https://twitter.com/snapcraftio)
* [Share on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/snapcraftio)
* [Share on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/snapcraftio)

* [Terms of Service](https://ubuntu.com/legal/terms-and-policies/snap-store-terms)
* [Data privacy](https://www.ubuntu.com/legal/data-privacy)
* [Manage your tracker settings](https://snapcraft.io/install/bin2src/ubuntu)
* [Service status](https://status.snapcraft.io/)
* [Other functions](https://dashboard.snapcraft.io/)
* [Contact us](https://snapcraft.io/about/contact-us)
