How to Efficiently Convert Byte Arrays and Hex Strings in .NET?

Mastering Byte Array and Hex String Conversions in .NET

.NET developers frequently encounter the need to convert between byte arrays and hexadecimal strings. This guide explores efficient methods for these conversions.

Converting Byte Arrays to Hex Strings

From .NET 5 onwards, Convert.ToHexString offers the simplest and most efficient solution:

string hexString = Convert.ToHexString(byteArray);

For older .NET frameworks, consider these alternatives:

hexString = ByteArrayToHex(byteArray);

where ByteArrayToHex is defined as:

public static string ByteArrayToHex(byte[] ba)
{
    StringBuilder hex = new StringBuilder(ba.Length * 2);
    foreach (byte b in ba)
        hex.AppendFormat("{0:x2}", b);
    return hex.ToString();
}

Another viable option, though potentially less efficient:

hexString = BitConverter.ToString(byteArray).Replace("-", "");

Converting Hex Strings to Byte Arrays

The reverse conversion is equally important:

byte[] byteArray = HexToStringArray(hexString);

The HexToStringArray function can be implemented as:

public static byte[] HexToStringArray(string hex)
{
    int numChars = hex.Length;
    byte[] bytes = new byte[numChars / 2];
    for (int i = 0; i < numChars; i += 2)
        bytes[i / 2] = Convert.ToByte(hex.Substring(i, 2), 16);
    return bytes;
}

Performance Optimization

For optimal performance, especially with large datasets, avoid using Convert.ToByte with Substring. Direct iteration and bit manipulation provide substantial performance improvements.

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