diff --git a/tools/CMakeLists.txt b/tools/CMakeLists.txt
index cf87dd8..62b0585 100644
--- a/tools/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/tools/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -5,5 +5,18 @@ find_package(Threads)
 add_executable(name name.cpp)
 target_link_libraries(name abieos ${CMAKE_THREAD_LIBS_INIT})
 
+add_library(abieos_util STATIC ../src/abieos.cpp ../src/abi.cpp ../src/crypto.cpp ../include/eosio/fpconv.c)
+target_include_directories(abieos_util PUBLIC
+        "$<BUILD_INTERFACE:${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}>/../src"
+        "$<BUILD_INTERFACE:${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}>/../include"
+        "$<BUILD_INTERFACE:${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}>/../external/rapidjson/include"
+        "$<INSTALL_INTERFACE:${CMAKE_INSTALL_INCLUDEDIR}>")
+
+add_executable(generate_hex_from_json util_generate_hex_from_json.cpp)
+target_link_libraries(generate_hex_from_json abieos_util ${CMAKE_THREAD_LIBS_INIT})
+
+add_executable(generate_json_from_hex util_generate_json_from_hex.cpp)
+target_link_libraries(generate_json_from_hex abieos_util ${CMAKE_THREAD_LIBS_INIT})
+
 add_custom_command( TARGET name POST_BUILD COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -E create_symlink $<TARGET_FILE:name> ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/name2num )
 add_custom_command( TARGET name POST_BUILD COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -E create_symlink $<TARGET_FILE:name> ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/num2name )
diff --git a/tools/test_utils.sh b/tools/test_utils.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..4c22df3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/test_utils.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,96 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+
+Transaction_ABI="../external/eosjs/src/transaction.abi.json"
+
+######################################
+PREFIX="Hex from JSON:"
+if [ -f ../build/tools/generate_hex_from_json ]; then
+  # no args test ###############
+  if ../build/tools/generate_hex_from_json 2>>/dev/null ; then
+    echo "error: no arguments and still success ../build/tools/generate_hex_from_json"
+    exit 1
+  fi
+  echo "${PREFIX} Passed No Args Test"
+
+  # Bool test ###################
+  true_byte=$(../build/tools/generate_hex_from_json -f ${Transaction_ABI} -x bool -j true)
+  if [ "${true_byte}" != "01" ] ; then
+    echo "error: ${PREFIX} expected byte 01 from bool true but got ${true_byte}"
+    exit 1
+  fi
+  echo "${PREFIX} Passed Bool Test"
+
+  # Int test ####################
+  two_byte=$(../build/tools/generate_hex_from_json -f ${Transaction_ABI} -x int8 -j 2)
+  if [ "${two_byte}" != "02" ] ; then
+    echo "error: ${PREFIX} expected byte 02 from 2 int8 but got ${two_byte}"
+    exit 1
+  fi
+  echo "${PREFIX} Passed Int8 as 2 Test"
+  # Int test ####################
+  neg_two_byte=$(../build/tools/generate_hex_from_json -f ${Transaction_ABI} -x int8 -j -2)
+  if [ "${neg_two_byte}" != "FE" ] ; then
+    echo "error: ${PREFIX} expected byte FE from -2 int8 but got ${neg_two_byte}"
+    exit 1
+  fi
+  echo "${PREFIX} Passed Int8 as -2 Test"
+  # name test ###################
+  name_byte=$(../build/tools/generate_hex_from_json -f ${Transaction_ABI} -x name -j '"bigliontest1"')
+  if [ "${name_byte}" != "103256795217993B" ] ; then
+    echo "error: ${PREFIX} expected byte 103256795217993B from name but got ${neg_two_byte}"
+    exit 1
+  fi
+  echo "${PREFIX} Passed Name Test"
+else
+  echo "Not Found ../build/tools/generate_hex_from_json"
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+
+###################################################
+
+
+PREFIX="JSON from HEX:"
+if [ -f ../build/tools/generate_json_from_hex ]; then
+    # no args test ###############
+  if ../build/tools/generate_json_from_hex 2>>/dev/null ; then
+    echo "error: no arguments and still success ../build/tools/generate_json_from_hex"
+    exit 1
+  fi
+  echo "${PREFIX} Passed No Args Test"
+
+  # Bool test #####################
+  true_byte=$(../build/tools/generate_json_from_hex -f ${Transaction_ABI} -x bool -h 01)
+  if [ "${true_byte}" != "true" ] ; then
+    echo "error: ${PREFIX} expected true from bool 01 but got ${true_byte}"
+    exit 1
+  fi
+  echo "${PREFIX} Passed Bool Test"
+
+  # Int test #####################
+  two_byte=$(../build/tools/generate_json_from_hex -f ${Transaction_ABI} -x int8 -h 02)
+  if [ "${two_byte}" != "2" ] ; then
+    echo "error: ${PREFIX} expected 2 from 02 int8 but got ${two_byte}"
+    exit 1
+  fi
+  echo "${PREFIX} Passed Int8 as 02 Test"
+  # Int test #####################
+  neg_two_byte=$(../build/tools/generate_json_from_hex -f ${Transaction_ABI} -x int8 -h FE)
+  if [ "${neg_two_byte}" != "-2" ] ; then
+    echo "error: ${PREFIX} expected -2 from FE int8 but got ${neg_two_byte}"
+    exit 1
+  fi
+  echo "${PREFIX} Passed Int8 as FE Test"
+  # name test #####################
+  name_byte=$(../build/tools/generate_json_from_hex -f ${Transaction_ABI} -x name -h 103256795217993B)
+  if [ "${name_byte}" != '"bigliontest1"' ] ; then
+    echo "error: ${PREFIX} expected \"bigliontest1\" from name but got ${neg_two_byte}"
+    exit 1
+  fi
+  echo "${PREFIX} Passed Name Test"
+else
+  echo "Not Found ../build/tools/generate_json_from_hex"
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+echo "Success all tests passed"
diff --git a/tools/util_generate_hex_from_json.cpp b/tools/util_generate_hex_from_json.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..bf5c116
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/util_generate_hex_from_json.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,147 @@
+//
+// Purpose: command line option to generate hex code from JSON
+//   may be used to generate serialization tests cases in other languages and external packages
+//
+
+#include "abieos.h"
+#include <filesystem>
+#include <fstream>
+#include <iostream>
+#include <stdexcept>
+#include <unistd.h>
+#include <vector>
+
+// Main work done here four steps
+//      1) create empty context
+//      2) set the context
+//      3) parse json to binary
+//      4) create hex from bin
+// abiContractName: enum with contract names
+// schema: the name of the data type or reference to schema in the ABI contract
+// json: the name and values
+// verbose: flag to print out step by step messages
+std::string generate_hex_from_json(const char* abi_definition, const char* contract_name, const char* schema, const char* json, bool verbose) {
+    if (verbose) std::cerr << "Schema is: " << schema << " and json is " << json << std::endl << std::endl;
+
+    // create empty context
+    using unique_abieos = std::unique_ptr<abieos_context, decltype( &abieos_destroy )>;
+    unique_abieos context( abieos_create(), &abieos_destroy );
+    if (! context) throw std::runtime_error("unable to create context");
+    if (verbose) std::cerr << "step 1 of 4: created empty ABI context" << std::endl;
+
+    // set the transaction context.
+    // first get the contract_id
+    uint64_t contract_id = abieos_string_to_name(context.get(), contract_name);
+    if (contract_id == 0) {
+        std::cerr << "Error: abieos_string_to_name " << abieos_get_error(context.get()) << std::endl;
+        throw std::runtime_error("unable to set context");
+    }
+    // use our id and set the ABI
+    bool successSettingAbi = abieos_set_abi(context.get(), contract_id, abi_definition);
+    if (! successSettingAbi) {
+        std::cerr << "Error: abieos_set_abi " << abieos_get_error(context.get()) << std::endl;
+        throw std::runtime_error("unable to set context");
+    }
+    if (verbose) std::cerr << "step 2 of 4: established context for transactions, packed transactions, and state history" << std::endl;
+
+    // convert from json to binary. binary stored with context
+    // get contract id returns integer for the ABI contract we passed in by name
+    bool successJsonToBin = abieos_json_to_bin_reorderable(
+        context.get(),
+        contract_id,
+        schema,
+        json
+        );
+    if (!successJsonToBin) {
+        std::cerr << "failed in step 3: using context " << contract_name << std::endl;
+        throw std::runtime_error(abieos_get_error(context.get()));
+    }
+    if (verbose) std::cerr << "step 3 of 4: completed parsing json to binary" << std::endl;
+
+    // now time to return the hex string
+    std::string hex = abieos_get_bin_hex(context.get());
+    if (verbose) std::cerr << "step 4 of 4: converted binary to hex" << std::endl << std::endl;
+    return hex;
+}
+
+// prints usage
+void help(const char* exec_name) {
+    std::cerr << "Usage " << exec_name << ": -f -j JSON -x type [-v]\n";
+    std::cerr << "\t-f file with ABI definition\n";
+    std::cerr << "\t-v verbose, print out steps\n";
+    std::cerr << "\t-j json: string to convert to hex\n";
+    std::cerr << "\t-x type: a specific data type or schema section (example uint16, action, name, uint8[])\n";
+    std::cerr << "\texample: generate_hex_from_json -f ./transaction.abi -x bool -j true\n" << std::endl;
+}
+
+// reads file returning string of contents
+std::string retrieveFileContents(const std::string &filename ) {
+    try {
+        std::ifstream ifs(filename, std::ios::in);
+        std::string string_of_file_contents((std::istreambuf_iterator<char>(ifs)), std::istreambuf_iterator<char>());
+        return string_of_file_contents;
+    } catch(std::filesystem::filesystem_error const& ex) {
+        std::cerr << "unable to read ABI file at path: " << filename << std::endl;
+        exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+    }
+}
+
+int main(int argc, char* argv[]) {
+    // static string for our contract id
+    static const char* contract_name = "eosio";
+    // input string to transform to hex code
+    std::string json;
+    // schema name ex: bool
+    std::string type;
+    // hex value returned ex: 01
+    std::string hex;
+    // file containing ABI definition
+    std::string abiFileName;
+    // string with contents of ABI file
+    std::string abiDefinition;
+    // default verbose setting
+    bool verbose = false;
+    int opt;
+
+    try {
+        while ((opt = getopt(argc, argv, "vf:j:x:")) != -1) {
+            switch (opt) {
+            case 'f': abiFileName = optarg; break;
+            case 'v': verbose = true; break;
+            case 'j': json = optarg; break;
+            case 'x': type = optarg; break;
+            case '?':
+                exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+            default:
+                exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+            }
+        }
+
+        // check for required params
+        if (json.empty() || type.empty() || abiFileName.empty()) {
+            help(*argv);
+            exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+        }
+
+        // this is an important step
+        // here we grab the ABI definition and stuff it in a string
+        abiDefinition = retrieveFileContents(abiFileName);
+
+        hex = generate_hex_from_json(
+            abiDefinition.c_str(),
+            contract_name,
+            type.c_str(),
+            json.c_str(),
+            verbose
+        );
+        if (hex.length() > 0) {
+            std::cout << hex << std::endl;
+        } else {
+            std::cerr << "returned empty" << std::endl;
+        }
+        return 0;
+    } catch (std::exception& e) {
+        std::cerr << "Could not compute hex value: " << e.what() << std::endl;
+        return 1;
+    }
+}
diff --git a/tools/util_generate_json_from_hex.cpp b/tools/util_generate_json_from_hex.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..265d9b2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/util_generate_json_from_hex.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,137 @@
+//
+// Purpose: command line option to generate JSON from Hex code
+//   may be used to generate deserialization tests cases in other languages and external packages
+//
+
+#include "abieos.h"
+#include <filesystem>
+#include <fstream>
+#include <iostream>
+#include <stdexcept>
+#include <unistd.h>
+#include <vector>
+
+// Main work done here four steps
+//      1) create empty context
+//      2) set the context
+//      4) create json from hex
+// abiContractName: enum with contract names
+// schema: the name of the data type or reference to schema in the ABI contract
+// hex: hex encoded schema
+// verbose: flag to print out step by step messages
+std::string generate_json_from_hex(const char* abi_definition, const char* contract_name, const char* schema, const char* hex, bool verbose) {
+    if (verbose) std::cerr << "Schema is: " << schema << " and hex is " << hex << std::endl << std::endl;
+
+    // create empty context
+    using unique_abieos = std::unique_ptr<abieos_context, decltype( &abieos_destroy )>;
+    unique_abieos context( abieos_create(), &abieos_destroy );
+    if (! context) throw std::runtime_error("unable to create context");
+    if (verbose) std::cerr << "step 1 of 3: created empty ABI context" << std::endl;
+
+    // set the transaction context.
+    // first get the contract_id
+    uint64_t contract_id = abieos_string_to_name(context.get(), contract_name);
+    if (contract_id == 0) {
+        std::cerr << "Error: abieos_string_to_name " << abieos_get_error(context.get()) << std::endl;
+        throw std::runtime_error("unable to set context");
+    }
+    // use our id and set the ABI
+    bool successSettingAbi = abieos_set_abi(context.get(), contract_id, abi_definition);
+    if (! successSettingAbi) {
+        std::cerr << "Error: abieos_set_abi " << abieos_get_error(context.get()) << std::endl;
+        throw std::runtime_error("unable to set context");
+    }
+    if (verbose) std::cerr << "step 2 of 3: established context for transactions, packed transactions, and state history" << std::endl;
+
+    // convert hex to json
+    std::string json = abieos_hex_to_json(
+        context.get(),
+        contract_id,
+        schema,
+        hex
+    );
+    if (verbose) std::cerr << "step 3 of 3: converted hex to json" << std::endl << std::endl;
+    return json;
+}
+
+// prints usage
+void help(const char* exec_name) {
+    std::cerr << "Usage " << exec_name << ": -f -h hex -x type [-v]\n";
+    std::cerr << "\t-f file with ABI definition\n";
+    std::cerr << "\t-v verbose, print out steps\n";
+    std::cerr << "\t-h hex: string to convert to json\n";
+    std::cerr << "\t-x type: a specific data type or schema section (example uint16, action, name, uint8[])\n";
+    std::cerr << "\texample: generate_hex_from_json -f ./transaction.abi -x bool -h 01\n" << std::endl;
+}
+
+// reads file returning string of contents
+std::string retrieveFileContents(const std::string &filename ) {
+    try {
+        std::ifstream ifs(filename, std::ios::in);
+        std::string string_of_file_contents((std::istreambuf_iterator<char>(ifs)), std::istreambuf_iterator<char>());
+        return string_of_file_contents;
+    } catch(std::filesystem::filesystem_error const& ex) {
+        std::cerr << "unable to read ABI file at path: " << filename << std::endl;
+        exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+    }
+}
+
+int main(int argc, char* argv[]) {
+    // static string for our contract id
+    static const char* contract_name = "eosio";
+    // string returned
+    std::string json;
+    // schema name ex: bool
+    std::string type;
+    // hex value ex: 01
+    std::string hex;
+    // file containing ABI definition
+    std::string abiFileName;
+    // string with contents of ABI file
+    std::string abiDefinition;
+    // default verbose setting
+    bool verbose = false;
+    int opt;
+
+    try {
+        while ((opt = getopt(argc, argv, "vf:h:x:")) != -1) {
+            switch (opt) {
+            case 'f': abiFileName = optarg; break;
+            case 'v': verbose = true; break;
+            case 'h': hex = optarg; break;
+            case 'x': type = optarg; break;
+            case '?':
+                exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+            default:
+                exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+            }
+        }
+
+        // check for required params
+        if (hex.empty() || type.empty() || abiFileName.empty()) {
+            help(*argv);
+            exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+        }
+
+        // this is an important step
+        // here we grab the ABI definition and stuff it in a string
+        abiDefinition = retrieveFileContents(abiFileName);
+
+        json = generate_json_from_hex(
+            abiDefinition.c_str(),
+            contract_name,
+            type.c_str(),
+            hex.c_str(),
+            verbose
+        );
+        if (json.length() > 0) {
+            std::cout << json << std::endl;
+        } else {
+            std::cerr << "returned empty" << std::endl;
+        }
+        return 0;
+    } catch (std::exception& e) {
+        std::cerr << "Could not compute json value: " << e.what() << std::endl;
+        return 1;
+    }
+}