# to_hex — DuckDB 1.3.2

Converts `blob` to `VARCHAR` using hexadecimal encoding.

- Reference: /products/haybarn/functions/releases/duckdb-1.3.2/to_hex/
- JSON: /products/haybarn/functions/api/v1/duckdb-1.3.2/functions/to_hex.json
- Snapshot ID: duckdb-1.3.2
- Engine: duckdb v1.3.2
- Source ID: 0b83e5d2f6
- Binary SHA-256: 9a2ae2a4d5dbd07a5b0cb30c502d65014825d34924c681eb3faa7647e7cd2b6f
- Captured: 2026-09-05T18:37:33.818Z
- Source: https://github.com/duckdb/duckdb/releases/tag/v1.3.2
- Loaded extensions: autocomplete, core_functions, icu, json, parquet, shell
- Alias of: hex

## Interpretation

- Choose a snapshot matching the target engine and build. The default is captured from the published Haybarn WASM package used by the browser playground. Historical native snapshots are also available.
- Availability is an observation in the recorded build and extension profile, not a guarantee of support in every installation or in WASM.
- Types and descriptions are declarations from duckdb_functions(). Binding can specialize result types. Null means not supplied by the catalog; do not invent defaults, optionality, argument mode, or table output columns.
- Raw parameter arrays preserve catalog order for scalar/aggregate/macro functions. Raw table arguments are alphabetical. Use callingConvention for engine-confirmed positional order and named arguments; null modes are unrecorded. Named does not mean optional. Macro defaults and special named variadic behavior are not supplied by duckdb_functions().
- Catalog examples are source material and may require data or extensions. runnableExamples contains separately verified SQL for the pinned WASM package; sample-data adaptations and guide examples are labeled separately.
- Guide annotations and recipes are separate editorial content. The browser runner always uses Haybarn WASM 1.5.5-rc3, independently of the documentation snapshot.
- All URLs beginning with / are relative to the origin hosting this document. Exports require no JavaScript, cookies, API key, or browser engine.

## Overloads

### overload-868c810ffdb2833c

Kind: scalar. Parameter order: catalog-order.

```text
to_hex(blob: BLOB) → VARCHAR
```

Link: /products/haybarn/functions/releases/duckdb-1.3.2/to_hex/#overload-868c810ffdb2833c

| Argument | Catalog type | Calling mode |
| --- | --- | --- |
| blob | BLOB | not recorded |

Declared return type: VARCHAR. Variadic argument type: none declared.
Stability: CONSISTENT. Declared side effects: false.

### overload-afbfb085ae218160

Kind: scalar. Parameter order: catalog-order.

```text
to_hex(string: VARCHAR) → VARCHAR
```

Link: /products/haybarn/functions/releases/duckdb-1.3.2/to_hex/#overload-afbfb085ae218160

| Argument | Catalog type | Calling mode |
| --- | --- | --- |
| string | VARCHAR | not recorded |

Declared return type: VARCHAR. Variadic argument type: none declared.
Stability: CONSISTENT. Declared side effects: false.

Converts the string to hexadecimal representation.

### overload-bb92cedc74da9479

Kind: scalar. Parameter order: catalog-order.

```text
to_hex(value: BIGINT) → VARCHAR
```

Link: /products/haybarn/functions/releases/duckdb-1.3.2/to_hex/#overload-bb92cedc74da9479

| Argument | Catalog type | Calling mode |
| --- | --- | --- |
| value | BIGINT | not recorded |

Declared return type: VARCHAR. Variadic argument type: none declared.
Stability: CONSISTENT. Declared side effects: false.

Converts the value to hexadecimal representation.

### overload-9268c48527e1ff42

Kind: scalar. Parameter order: catalog-order.

```text
to_hex(value: HUGEINT) → VARCHAR
```

Link: /products/haybarn/functions/releases/duckdb-1.3.2/to_hex/#overload-9268c48527e1ff42

| Argument | Catalog type | Calling mode |
| --- | --- | --- |
| value | HUGEINT | not recorded |

Declared return type: VARCHAR. Variadic argument type: none declared.
Stability: CONSISTENT. Declared side effects: false.

Converts the value to hexadecimal representation.

### overload-f83192b1c7a38892

Kind: scalar. Parameter order: catalog-order.

```text
to_hex(value: UBIGINT) → VARCHAR
```

Link: /products/haybarn/functions/releases/duckdb-1.3.2/to_hex/#overload-f83192b1c7a38892

| Argument | Catalog type | Calling mode |
| --- | --- | --- |
| value | UBIGINT | not recorded |

Declared return type: VARCHAR. Variadic argument type: none declared.
Stability: CONSISTENT. Declared side effects: false.

Converts the value to hexadecimal representation.

### overload-28d1cc98e4fe46de

Kind: scalar. Parameter order: catalog-order.

```text
to_hex(value: UHUGEINT) → VARCHAR
```

Link: /products/haybarn/functions/releases/duckdb-1.3.2/to_hex/#overload-28d1cc98e4fe46de

| Argument | Catalog type | Calling mode |
| --- | --- | --- |
| value | UHUGEINT | not recorded |

Declared return type: VARCHAR. Variadic argument type: none declared.
Stability: CONSISTENT. Declared side effects: false.

Converts the value to hexadecimal representation.

### overload-c2a2c56acc985cdd

Kind: scalar. Parameter order: catalog-order.

```text
to_hex(value: VARINT) → VARCHAR
```

Link: /products/haybarn/functions/releases/duckdb-1.3.2/to_hex/#overload-c2a2c56acc985cdd

| Argument | Catalog type | Calling mode |
| --- | --- | --- |
| value | VARINT | not recorded |

Declared return type: VARCHAR. Variadic argument type: none declared.
Stability: CONSISTENT. Declared side effects: false.

Converts the value to hexadecimal representation.


## Guide recipes

No guide recipes.

## Engine catalog examples

Source examples may require additional data or extensions. Expressions are wrapped in SELECT; execution verification is not recorded.

Reported for: overload-868c810ffdb2833c

```sql
SELECT hex('\xAA\xBB'::BLOB);
```

Reported for: overload-afbfb085ae218160

```sql
SELECT hex('Hello');
```

Reported for: overload-bb92cedc74da9479, overload-9268c48527e1ff42, overload-f83192b1c7a38892, overload-28d1cc98e4fe46de, overload-c2a2c56acc985cdd

```sql
SELECT hex(42);
```

## Runnable examples

Executed successfully in Haybarn WASM 1.5.5-rc3. Sample data and guide examples are separate from the original catalog.

```sql
SELECT to_hex('\xAA\xBB'::BLOB);
```

```sql
SELECT to_hex('Hello');
```

```sql
SELECT to_hex(42);
```

## Additional DuckDB documentation

- [Text Functions](https://duckdb.org/docs/current/sql/functions/text#text-functions-and-operators)
- [Text Functions](https://duckdb.org/docs/current/sql/functions/text.html#text-functions-and-operators)

## Observed availability

| Snapshot | Observed | Overloads | JSON |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| haybarn-1.5.5-rc3 | present | 7 | [reference](/products/haybarn/functions/api/v1/haybarn-1.5.5-rc3/functions/to_hex.json) |
| duckdb-1.5.5 | present | 7 | [reference](/products/haybarn/functions/api/v1/duckdb-1.5.5/functions/to_hex.json) |
| duckdb-1.4.4 | present | 7 | [reference](/products/haybarn/functions/api/v1/duckdb-1.4.4/functions/to_hex.json) |
| duckdb-1.3.2 | present | 7 | [reference](/products/haybarn/functions/api/v1/duckdb-1.3.2/functions/to_hex.json) |

Engine catalog documentation is derived from MIT-licensed Haybarn and DuckDB. [Notices](/third-party-notices.txt).