diff --git a/.vscode/settings.json b/.vscode/settings.json
index 48e265448..c668173a8 100644
--- a/.vscode/settings.json
+++ b/.vscode/settings.json
@@ -171,6 +171,7 @@
     },
     "[jq]": {
         "editor.tabSize": 2,
+        "files.trimTrailingWhitespace": true
     },
     "fracturedjsonvsc.MaxInlineLength": 160,
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/doc/usage.md b/doc/usage.md
index 379e89639..364924071 100644
--- a/doc/usage.md
+++ b/doc/usage.md
@@ -382,7 +382,8 @@ unary uses input and if more than one argument all as arguments ignoring the inp
     - For `capture` the `.string` value is a binary.
     - If pattern is a binary it will be matched literally and not as a regexp.
     - If pattern is a binary or flags include "b" each input byte will be read as separate code points
-  - `scan_toend($v)`, `scan_toend($v; $flags)` works the same as `scan` but output binary are from start of match to
+  - String function are not overloaded to support binary for now as some of them are bahaviours that might be confusing.
+  - `explode` is overloaded to work with binary. Will explode into array of the unit of the binary.
   end of binary.
   instead of possibly multi-byte UTF-8 codepoints. This allows to match raw bytes. Ex: `match("\u00ff"; "b")`
   will match the byte `0xff` and not the UTF-8 encoded codepoint for 255, `match("[^\u00ff]"; "b")` will match
diff --git a/internal/difftest/difftest.go b/internal/difftest/difftest.go
index 9a7979082..786a0504c 100644
--- a/internal/difftest/difftest.go
+++ b/internal/difftest/difftest.go
@@ -1,9 +1,8 @@
-// Package difftest implement test based on serialized string output
+// Package difftest implement test based on diffing serialized string output
 //
-// User provides a function that gets a input string. It returns a output string
-// based on the input somehow and a output path to file with content to compare it
-// to or to write to if in write mode.
-// If there is a difference test will fail with a diff.
+// User provides a function that get a input path and input string and returns a
+// output path and output string. Content of output path and output string is compared
+// and if there is a difference the test fails with a diff.
 //
 // Test inputs are read from files matching Pattern from Path.
 //
@@ -31,16 +30,6 @@ const green = "\x1b[32m"
 const red = "\x1b[31m"
 const reset = "\x1b[0m"
 
-type Fn func(t *testing.T, path string, input string) (string, string, error)
-
-type Options struct {
-	Path        string
-	Pattern     string
-	ColorDiff   bool
-	WriteOutput bool
-	Fn          Fn
-}
-
 func testDeepEqual(t tf, color bool, printfFn func(format string, args ...interface{}), expected string, actual string) {
 	t.Helper()
 
@@ -111,6 +100,16 @@ func Fatal(t tf, expected string, actual string) {
 	testDeepEqual(t, false, t.Fatalf, expected, actual)
 }
 
+type Fn func(t *testing.T, path string, input string) (string, string, error)
+
+type Options struct {
+	Path        string
+	Pattern     string
+	ColorDiff   bool
+	WriteOutput bool
+	Fn          Fn
+}
+
 func TestWithOptions(t *testing.T, opts Options) {
 	t.Helper()
 
diff --git a/pkg/interp/binary.jq b/pkg/interp/binary.jq
index 4866e5f2b..086dcda1a 100644
--- a/pkg/interp/binary.jq
+++ b/pkg/interp/binary.jq
@@ -5,4 +5,94 @@ def tobytesrange: _tobits(8; true; 0);
 def tobits($pad): _tobits(1; false; $pad);
 def tobytes($pad): _tobits(8; false; $pad);
 def tobitsrange($pad): _tobits(1; true; $pad);
-def tobytesrange($pad): _tobits(8; true; $pad);
\ No newline at end of file
+def tobytesrange($pad): _tobits(8; true; $pad);
+
+# same as regexp.QuoteMeta
+def _re_quote_meta:
+  gsub("(?<c>[\\.\\+\\*\\?\\(\\)\\|\\[\\]\\{\\}\\^\\$\\)])"; "\\\(.c)");
+
+# TODO:
+# maybe implode, join. but what would it mean?
+# "abc" | tobits | explode | implode would not work
+
+# helper for overloading regex/string functions to support binary
+def _binary_or_orig(bfn; fn):
+  ( _exttype as $exttype
+  | if . == null or $exttype == "string" then fn
+    elif $exttype == "binary" then bfn
+    else
+      ( . as $s
+      | try
+          (tobytesrange | bfn)
+        catch ($s | fn)
+      )
+    end
+  );
+
+def _orig_explode: explode;
+def explode: _binary_or_orig([.[range(.size)]]; _orig_explode);
+
+def _orig_splits($val): splits($val);
+def _orig_splits($regex; $flags): splits($regex; $flags);
+def _splits_binary($regex; $flags):
+  ( . as $b
+  # last null output is to do a last iteration that output from end of last match to end of binary
+  | foreach (_match_binary($regex; $flags), null) as $m (
+      {prev: null, curr: null};
+      ( .prev = .curr
+      | .curr = $m
+      );
+      if .prev == null then $b[0:.curr.offset]
+      elif .curr == null then $b[.prev.offset+.prev.length:]
+      else $b[.prev.offset+.prev.length:.curr.offset+.curr.length]
+      end
+    )
+  );
+def splits($val): _binary_or_orig(_splits_binary($val; "g"); _orig_splits($val));
+def splits($regex; $flags): _binary_or_orig(_splits_binary($regex; "g"+$flags); _orig_splits($regex; $flags));
+
+def _orig_split($val): split($val);
+def _orig_split($regex; $flags): split($regex; $flags);
+# split/1 splits on string not regexp
+def split($val): [splits($val | _re_quote_meta)];
+def split($regex; $flags): [splits($regex; $flags)];
+
+def _orig_test($val): test($val);
+def _orig_test($regex; $flags): test($regex; $flags);
+def _test_binary($regex; $flags):
+  ( isempty(_match_binary($regex; $flags))
+  | not
+  );
+def test($val): _binary_or_orig(_test_binary($val; ""); _orig_test($val));
+def test($regex; $flags): _binary_or_orig(_test_binary($regex; $flags); _orig_test($regex; $flags));
+
+def _orig_match($val): match($val);
+def _orig_match($regex; $flags): match($regex; $flags);
+def match($val): _binary_or_orig(_match_binary($val); _orig_match($val));
+def match($regex; $flags): _binary_or_orig(_match_binary($regex; $flags); _orig_match($regex; $flags));
+
+def _orig_capture($val): capture($val);
+def _orig_capture($regex; $flags): capture($regex; $flags);
+def _capture_binary($regex; $flags):
+  ( . as $b
+  | _match_binary($regex; $flags)
+  | .captures
+  | map(
+      ( select(.name)
+      | {key: .name, value: .string}
+      )
+    )
+  | from_entries
+  );
+def capture($val): _binary_or_orig(_capture_binary($val; ""); _orig_capture($val));
+def capture($regex; $flags): _binary_or_orig(_capture_binary($regex; $flags); _orig_capture($regex; $flags));
+
+def _orig_scan($val): scan($val);
+def _orig_scan($regex; $flags): scan($regex; $flags);
+def _scan_binary($regex; $flags):
+  ( . as $b
+  | _match_binary($regex; $flags)
+  | $b[.offset:.offset+.length]
+  );
+def scan($val): _binary_or_orig(_scan_binary($val; "g"); _orig_scan($val));
+def scan($regex; $flags): _binary_or_orig(_scan_binary($regex; "g"+$flags); _orig_scan($regex; $flags));
diff --git a/pkg/interp/interp.go b/pkg/interp/interp.go
index b37978d76..ed3b491de 100644
--- a/pkg/interp/interp.go
+++ b/pkg/interp/interp.go
@@ -41,7 +41,6 @@ import (
 //go:embed ansi.jq
 //go:embed binary.jq
 //go:embed decode.jq
-//go:embed match.jq
 //go:embed funcs.jq
 //go:embed grep.jq
 //go:embed args.jq
diff --git a/pkg/interp/interp.jq b/pkg/interp/interp.jq
index f43c7b751..c65be2c0b 100644
--- a/pkg/interp/interp.jq
+++ b/pkg/interp/interp.jq
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ include "internal";
 include "options";
 include "binary";
 include "decode";
-include "match";
 include "funcs";
 include "grep";
 include "args";
diff --git a/pkg/interp/match.jq b/pkg/interp/match.jq
deleted file mode 100644
index e534da10c..000000000
--- a/pkg/interp/match.jq
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,99 +0,0 @@
-include "binary";
-
-def _binary_fn(f):
-  ( . as $c
-  | tobytesrange
-  | f
-  );
-
-def _binary_try_orig(bfn; fn):
-  ( . as $c
-  | if type == "string" then fn
-    else
-      ( $c
-      | tobytesrange
-      | bfn
-      )
-    end
-  );
-
-# overloads to support binary
-
-def _orig_test($val): test($val);
-def _orig_test($regex; $flags): test($regex; $flags);
-def _test_binary($regex; $flags):
-  ( isempty(_match_binary($regex; $flags))
-  | not
-  );
-def test($val): _binary_try_orig(_test_binary($val; ""); _orig_test($val));
-def test($regex; $flags): _binary_try_orig(_test_binary($regex; $flags); _orig_test($regex; $flags));
-
-def _orig_match($val): match($val);
-def _orig_match($regex; $flags): match($regex; $flags);
-def match($val): _binary_try_orig(_match_binary($val); _orig_match($val));
-def match($regex; $flags): _binary_try_orig(_match_binary($regex; $flags); _orig_match($regex; $flags));
-
-def _orig_capture($val): capture($val);
-def _orig_capture($regex; $flags): capture($regex; $flags);
-def _capture_binary($regex; $flags):
-  ( . as $b
-  | _match_binary($regex; $flags)
-  | .captures
-  | map(
-      ( select(.name)
-      | {key: .name, value: .string}
-      )
-    )
-  | from_entries
-  );
-def capture($val): _binary_try_orig(_capture_binary($val; ""); _orig_capture($val));
-def capture($regex; $flags): _binary_try_orig(_capture_binary($regex; $flags); _orig_capture($regex; $flags));
-
-def _orig_scan($val): scan($val);
-def _orig_scan($regex; $flags): scan($regex; $flags);
-def _scan_binary($regex; $flags):
-  ( . as $b
-  | _match_binary($regex; $flags)
-  | $b[.offset:.offset+.length]
-  );
-def scan($val): _binary_try_orig(_scan_binary($val; "g"); _orig_scan($val));
-def scan($regex; $flags): _binary_try_orig(_scan_binary($regex; "g"+$flags); _orig_scan($regex; $flags));
-
-def _orig_splits($val): splits($val);
-def _orig_splits($regex; $flags): splits($regex; $flags);
-def _splits_binary($regex; $flags):
-  ( . as $b
-  # last null output is to do a last iteration that output from end of last match to end of binary
-  | foreach (_match_binary($regex; $flags), null) as $m (
-      {prev: null, curr: null};
-      ( .prev = .curr
-      | .curr = $m
-      );
-      if .prev == null then $b[0:.curr.offset]
-      elif .curr == null then $b[.prev.offset+.prev.length:]
-      else $b[.prev.offset+.prev.length:.curr.offset+.curr.length]
-      end
-    )
-  );
-def splits($val): _binary_try_orig(_splits_binary($val; "g"); _orig_splits($val));
-def splits($regex; $flags): _binary_try_orig(_splits_binary($regex; "g"+$flags); _orig_splits($regex; $flags));
-
-# same as regexp.QuoteMeta
-def _quote_meta:
-  gsub("(?<c>[\\.\\+\\*\\?\\(\\)\\|\\[\\]\\{\\}\\^\\$\\)])"; "\\\(.c)");
-
-def _orig_split($val): split($val);
-def _orig_split($regex; $flags): split($regex; $flags);
-# split/1 splits on string not regexp
-def split($val): [splits($val | _quote_meta)];
-def split($regex; $flags): [splits($regex; $flags)];
-
-# TODO: rename
-# same as scan but outputs binary from start of match to end of binary
-def _scan_toend($regex; $flags):
-  ( . as $b
-  | _match_binary($regex; $flags)
-  | $b[.offset:]
-  );
-def scan_toend($val): _binary_fn(_scan_toend($val; "g"));
-def scan_toend($regex; $flags):  _binary_fn(_scan_toend($regex; "g"+$flags));
diff --git a/pkg/interp/testdata/buffer.fqtest b/pkg/interp/testdata/binary.fqtest
similarity index 69%
rename from pkg/interp/testdata/buffer.fqtest
rename to pkg/interp/testdata/binary.fqtest
index 364d37a64..4ec4a53de 100644
--- a/pkg/interp/testdata/buffer.fqtest
+++ b/pkg/interp/testdata/binary.fqtest
@@ -236,9 +236,28 @@ mp3> .frames[1] | tobytesrange | ., .start, .stop, .size, .[4:17], (tobits, toby
     |00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 0a 0b 0c 0d 0e 0f|0123456789abcdef|
 0xe0|                     00 00 0a 2c 43 2e 55 94 80|       ...,C.U..|.: raw bits 0xe7-0xf3.7 (13)
 0xf0|01 80 93 6b                                    |...k            |
-mp3> "fq" | tobits | [.[range(.size)]] | map(tobits) | tobytes | tostring
+mp3> .frames[1].data | tobytes | match([0x33, 0x85]), first(scan([0x33, 0x85]) | hex), first(splits([0x33, 0x85]) | hex)
+{
+  "captures": [],
+  "length": 2,
+  "offset": 4,
+  "string": "3\ufffd"
+}
+"3385"
+"07aac38e"
+mp3> scan("")
+   |00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 0a 0b 0c 0d 0e 0f|0123456789abcdef|
+   |                                               |                |.: raw bits 0x0-NA (0)
+mp3> .frames[1] | tobytes | mp3_frame | ., ((.header.bitrate | tobitsrange) as $v | tobitsrange | [.[:$v.start], (0xf | tobits), .[$v.start+$v.size:]] | mp3_frame) | .header.bitrate
+   |00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 0a 0b 0c 0d 0e 0f|0123456789abcdef|
+0x0|      50                                       |  P             |.header.bitrate: 64000 (5)
+   |00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 0a 0b 0c 0d 0e 0f|0123456789abcdef|
+0x0|      f0                                       |  .             |.header.bitrate: 15 (bad)
+mp3> ^D
+$ fq -i
+null> "fq" | tobits | [.[range(.size)]] | map(tobits) | tobytes | tostring
 "fq"
-mp3> "fq" | tobits | chunk(range(17)+1) | tobytes | tostring
+null> "fq" | tobits | chunk(range(17)+1) | tobytes | tostring
 "fq"
 "fq"
 "fq"
@@ -256,7 +275,7 @@ mp3> "fq" | tobits | chunk(range(17)+1) | tobytes | tostring
 "fq"
 "fq"
 "fq"
-mp3> 1 | tobits(range(10)) | hex
+null> 1 | tobits(range(10)) | hex
 "80"
 "80"
 "40"
@@ -267,13 +286,13 @@ mp3> 1 | tobits(range(10)) | hex
 "02"
 "01"
 "0080"
-mp3> 1 | tobytes(range(5)) | hex
+null> 1 | tobytes(range(5)) | hex
 "01"
 "01"
 "0001"
 "000001"
 "00000001"
-mp3> range(17) | [range(.) | 1 | tobits] | tobits | hex
+null> range(17) | [range(.) | 1 | tobits] | tobits | hex
 ""
 "80"
 "c0"
@@ -291,7 +310,7 @@ mp3> range(17) | [range(.) | 1 | tobits] | tobits | hex
 "fffc"
 "fffe"
 "ffff"
-mp3> range(17) | [range(.) | 1 | tobits] | tobytes | hex
+null> range(17) | [range(.) | 1 | tobits] | tobytes | hex
 ""
 "01"
 "03"
@@ -309,15 +328,218 @@ mp3> range(17) | [range(.) | 1 | tobits] | tobytes | hex
 "3fff"
 "7fff"
 "ffff"
-mp3> "c9dfdac2f6ef68e5db666b6fbeee66d9c7deda66bebfbfe860bfbfbfe9d1636bbfbebf" | hex | tobits | reduce chunk(8)[] as $c ({h:[],g:[]}; .h += [(0|tobits), $c[0:7]] | .g |= . + [if length % 8 == 0 then (0|tobits) else empty end, $c[7:8]]) | .h, .g  | tobytes
+null> "c9dfdac2f6ef68e5db666b6fbeee66d9c7deda66bebfbfe860bfbfbfe9d1636bbfbebf" | hex | tobits | reduce chunk(8)[] as $c ({h:[],g:[]}; .h += [(0|tobits), $c[0:7]] | .g |= . + [if length % 8 == 0 then (0|tobits) else empty end, $c[7:8]]) | .h, .g  | tobytes
     |00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 0a 0b 0c 0d 0e 0f|0123456789abcdef|
 0x00|64 6f 6d 61 7b 77 34 72 6d 33 35 37 5f 77 33 6c|doma{w4rm357_w3l|.: raw bits 0x0-0x22.7 (35)
 *   |until 0x22.7 (end) (35)                        |                |
    |00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 0a 0b 0c 0d 0e 0f|0123456789abcdef|
 0x0|62 6c 30 67 7d|                                |bl0g}|          |.: raw bits 0x0-0x4.7 (5)
-mp3> .frames[1] | tobytes | mp3_frame | ., ((.header.bitrate | tobitsrange) as $v | tobitsrange | [.[:$v.start], (0xf | tobits), .[$v.start+$v.size:]] | mp3_frame) | .header.bitrate
+null> "åäö" | tobytes | explode, (tobits | explode)
+[
+  195,
+  165,
+  195,
+  164,
+  195,
+  182
+]
+[
+  1,
+  1,
+  0,
+  0,
+  0,
+  0,
+  1,
+  1,
+  1,
+  0,
+  1,
+  0,
+  0,
+  1,
+  0,
+  1,
+  1,
+  1,
+  0,
+  0,
+  0,
+  0,
+  1,
+  1,
+  1,
+  0,
+  1,
+  0,
+  0,
+  1,
+  0,
+  0,
+  1,
+  1,
+  0,
+  0,
+  0,
+  0,
+  1,
+  1,
+  1,
+  0,
+  1,
+  1,
+  0,
+  1,
+  1,
+  0
+]
+null> "ååå" as $p | "cbbcåååccåååcbc", "åååcbbc", "cbbcååå" | ., "orig", split($p), "binary_rune", (tobytes | split($p)), "binary_byte", (tobytes | split("ååå" | tobytes; "b"))
+"cbbcåååccåååcbc"
+"orig"
+[
+  "cbbc",
+  "cc",
+  "cbc"
+]
+"binary_rune"
+[
+  "cbbc",
+  "ccååå",
+  "cbc"
+]
+"binary_byte"
+[
+  "cbbc",
+  "ccååå",
+  "cbc"
+]
+"åååcbbc"
+"orig"
+[
+  "",
+  "cbbc"
+]
+"binary_rune"
+[
+  "",
+  "cbbc"
+]
+"binary_byte"
+[
+  "",
+  "cbbc"
+]
+"cbbcååå"
+"orig"
+[
+  "cbbc",
+  ""
+]
+"binary_rune"
+[
+  "cbbc",
+  ""
+]
+"binary_byte"
+[
+  "cbbc",
+  ""
+]
+null> "å(?<n>å)(å)" as $p | "cbbcåååccåååcbc", "åååcbbc", "cbbcååå" | ., "orig", splits($p), "binary_rune", (tobytes | splits($p)), "binary_byte", (tobytes | splits("ååå" | tobytes; "b"))
+"cbbcåååccåååcbc"
+"orig"
+"cbbc"
+"cc"
+"cbc"
+"binary_rune"
    |00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 0a 0b 0c 0d 0e 0f|0123456789abcdef|
-0x0|      50                                       |  P             |.header.bitrate: 64000 (5)
+0x0|63 62 62 63                                    |cbbc            |.: raw bits 0x0-0x3.7 (4)
+    |00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 0a 0b 0c 0d 0e 0f|0123456789abcdef|
+0x00|                              63 63 c3 a5 c3 a5|          cc....|.: raw bits 0xa-0x11.7 (8)
+0x10|c3 a5                                          |..              |
+    |00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 0a 0b 0c 0d 0e 0f|0123456789abcdef|
+0x10|      63 62 63|                                |  cbc|          |.: raw bits 0x12-0x14.7 (3)
+"binary_byte"
    |00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 0a 0b 0c 0d 0e 0f|0123456789abcdef|
-0x0|      f0                                       |  .             |.header.bitrate: 15 (bad)
-mp3> ^D
+0x0|63 62 62 63                                    |cbbc            |.: raw bits 0x0-0x3.7 (4)
+    |00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 0a 0b 0c 0d 0e 0f|0123456789abcdef|
+0x00|                              63 63 c3 a5 c3 a5|          cc....|.: raw bits 0xa-0x11.7 (8)
+0x10|c3 a5                                          |..              |
+    |00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 0a 0b 0c 0d 0e 0f|0123456789abcdef|
+0x10|      63 62 63|                                |  cbc|          |.: raw bits 0x12-0x14.7 (3)
+"åååcbbc"
+"orig"
+""
+"cbbc"
+"binary_rune"
+   |00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 0a 0b 0c 0d 0e 0f|0123456789abcdef|
+   |                                               |                |.: raw bits 0x0-NA (0)
+   |00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 0a 0b 0c 0d 0e 0f|0123456789abcdef|
+0x0|                  63 62 62 63|                 |      cbbc|     |.: raw bits 0x6-0x9.7 (4)
+"binary_byte"
+   |00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 0a 0b 0c 0d 0e 0f|0123456789abcdef|
+   |                                               |                |.: raw bits 0x0-NA (0)
+   |00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 0a 0b 0c 0d 0e 0f|0123456789abcdef|
+0x0|                  63 62 62 63|                 |      cbbc|     |.: raw bits 0x6-0x9.7 (4)
+"cbbcååå"
+"orig"
+"cbbc"
+""
+"binary_rune"
+   |00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 0a 0b 0c 0d 0e 0f|0123456789abcdef|
+0x0|63 62 62 63                                    |cbbc            |.: raw bits 0x0-0x3.7 (4)
+   |00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 0a 0b 0c 0d 0e 0f|0123456789abcdef|
+   |                                               |                |.: raw bits 0xa-NA (0)
+"binary_byte"
+   |00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 0a 0b 0c 0d 0e 0f|0123456789abcdef|
+0x0|63 62 62 63                                    |cbbc            |.: raw bits 0x0-0x3.7 (4)
+   |00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 0a 0b 0c 0d 0e 0f|0123456789abcdef|
+   |                                               |                |.: raw bits 0xa-NA (0)
+null> "å(?<n>å)(å)" as $p | "cbbcåååccåååcbc", "åååcbbc", "cbbcååå" | ., "orig", scan($p), "binary_rune", (tobytes | scan($p)), "binary_byte", (tobytes | scan("ååå" | tobytes; "b"))
+"cbbcåååccåååcbc"
+"orig"
+[
+  "å",
+  "å"
+]
+[
+  "å",
+  "å"
+]
+"binary_rune"
+   |00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 0a 0b 0c 0d 0e 0f|0123456789abcdef|
+0x0|            c3 a5 c3 a5 c3 a5                  |    ......      |.: raw bits 0x4-0x9.7 (6)
+    |00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 0a 0b 0c 0d 0e 0f|0123456789abcdef|
+0x00|                                    c3 a5 c3 a5|            ....|.: raw bits 0xc-0x11.7 (6)
+0x10|c3 a5                                          |..              |
+"binary_byte"
+   |00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 0a 0b 0c 0d 0e 0f|0123456789abcdef|
+0x0|            c3 a5 c3 a5 c3 a5                  |    ......      |.: raw bits 0x4-0x9.7 (6)
+    |00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 0a 0b 0c 0d 0e 0f|0123456789abcdef|
+0x00|                                    c3 a5 c3 a5|            ....|.: raw bits 0xc-0x11.7 (6)
+0x10|c3 a5                                          |..              |
+"åååcbbc"
+"orig"
+[
+  "å",
+  "å"
+]
+"binary_rune"
+   |00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 0a 0b 0c 0d 0e 0f|0123456789abcdef|
+0x0|c3 a5 c3 a5 c3 a5                              |......          |.: raw bits 0x0-0x5.7 (6)
+"binary_byte"
+   |00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 0a 0b 0c 0d 0e 0f|0123456789abcdef|
+0x0|c3 a5 c3 a5 c3 a5                              |......          |.: raw bits 0x0-0x5.7 (6)
+"cbbcååå"
+"orig"
+[
+  "å",
+  "å"
+]
+"binary_rune"
+   |00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 0a 0b 0c 0d 0e 0f|0123456789abcdef|
+0x0|            c3 a5 c3 a5 c3 a5|                 |    ......|     |.: raw bits 0x4-0x9.7 (6)
+"binary_byte"
+   |00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 0a 0b 0c 0d 0e 0f|0123456789abcdef|
+0x0|            c3 a5 c3 a5 c3 a5|                 |    ......|     |.: raw bits 0x4-0x9.7 (6)
+null> ^D
diff --git a/pkg/interp/testdata/match.fqtest b/pkg/interp/testdata/match.fqtest
index 03cdba45b..17a8bee4b 100644
--- a/pkg/interp/testdata/match.fqtest
+++ b/pkg/interp/testdata/match.fqtest
@@ -6,19 +6,6 @@ mp3> .frames[1].data | tobytes | match("3\u0085"; "b")
   "offset": 4,
   "string": "3\ufffd"
 }
-mp3> .frames[1].data | tobytes | match([0x33, 0x85]), first(scan([0x33, 0x85]) | hex), first(splits([0x33, 0x85]) | hex), first(scan_toend([0x33, 0x85]) | hex)
-{
-  "captures": [],
-  "length": 2,
-  "offset": 4,
-  "string": "3\ufffd"
-}
-"3385"
-"07aac38e"
-"3385d364f1a1c1081c581f5e1f181c46041e89e5b32e5a0fa83b136bf0f860501404030282440c4e68d1a36c1f7880100431383fc1074e74f9ce5fce72feee9f772e0f83e0f87c100c4a00c1fd2001fffffe79e79e784fb10f29075ce5375160d622866a961a7ea355336e2fe126d1e00a24261b3d0470547b4aad19361e88268b7fef149c0b0d627fffefb821463947fa099f2a1a0a057d1e05044883677ee4f2a0211342412fffe3904983d6b5090440c0994aa08811"
-mp3> scan("")
-   |00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 0a 0b 0c 0d 0e 0f|0123456789abcdef|
-   |                                               |                |.: raw bits 0x0-NA (0)
 mp3> ^D
 $ fq -ni
 null> "64ff65ff66" | hex | match("\u00ff"; "b")
@@ -109,7 +96,7 @@ true
 "cbbcååå"
 true
 true
-null> "å(?<n>å)(å)" as $p | "cbbcåååccåååcbc", "åååcbbc", "cbbcååå" | ., "orig", match($p), "buffer_rune", (tobytes | match($p)), "buffer_byte", (tobytes | match("ååå" | tobytes; "b"))
+null> "å(?<n>å)(å)" as $p | "cbbcåååccåååcbc", "åååcbbc", "cbbcååå" | ., "orig", match($p), "binary_rune", (tobytes | match($p)), "binary_byte", (tobytes | match("ååå" | tobytes; "b"))
 "cbbcåååccåååcbc"
 "orig"
 {
@@ -131,7 +118,7 @@ null> "å(?<n>å)(å)" as $p | "cbbcåååccåååcbc", "åååcbbc", "cbbcåå
   "offset": 4,
   "string": "ååå"
 }
-"buffer_rune"
+"binary_rune"
 {
   "captures": [
     {
@@ -151,7 +138,7 @@ null> "å(?<n>å)(å)" as $p | "cbbcåååccåååcbc", "åååcbbc", "cbbcåå
   "offset": 4,
   "string": "ååå"
 }
-"buffer_byte"
+"binary_byte"
 {
   "captures": [],
   "length": 6,
@@ -179,7 +166,7 @@ null> "å(?<n>å)(å)" as $p | "cbbcåååccåååcbc", "åååcbbc", "cbbcåå
   "offset": 0,
   "string": "ååå"
 }
-"buffer_rune"
+"binary_rune"
 {
   "captures": [
     {
@@ -199,7 +186,7 @@ null> "å(?<n>å)(å)" as $p | "cbbcåååccåååcbc", "åååcbbc", "cbbcåå
   "offset": 0,
   "string": "ååå"
 }
-"buffer_byte"
+"binary_byte"
 {
   "captures": [],
   "length": 6,
@@ -227,7 +214,7 @@ null> "å(?<n>å)(å)" as $p | "cbbcåååccåååcbc", "åååcbbc", "cbbcåå
   "offset": 4,
   "string": "ååå"
 }
-"buffer_rune"
+"binary_rune"
 {
   "captures": [
     {
@@ -247,206 +234,57 @@ null> "å(?<n>å)(å)" as $p | "cbbcåååccåååcbc", "åååcbbc", "cbbcåå
   "offset": 4,
   "string": "ååå"
 }
-"buffer_byte"
+"binary_byte"
 {
   "captures": [],
   "length": 6,
   "offset": 4,
   "string": "ååå"
 }
-null> "å(?<n>å)(å)" as $p | "cbbcåååccåååcbc", "åååcbbc", "cbbcååå" | ., "orig", capture($p), "buffer_rune", (tobytes | capture($p)), "buffer_byte", (tobytes | capture("ååå" | tobytes; "b"))
+null> "å(?<n>å)(å)" as $p | "cbbcåååccåååcbc", "åååcbbc", "cbbcååå" | ., "orig", capture($p), "binary_rune", (tobytes | capture($p)), "binary_byte", (tobytes | capture("ååå" | tobytes; "b"))
 "cbbcåååccåååcbc"
 "orig"
 {
   "n": "å"
 }
-"buffer_rune"
+"binary_rune"
 {
   "n": "å"
 }
-"buffer_byte"
+"binary_byte"
 {}
 "åååcbbc"
 "orig"
 {
   "n": "å"
 }
-"buffer_rune"
+"binary_rune"
 {
   "n": "å"
 }
-"buffer_byte"
+"binary_byte"
 {}
 "cbbcååå"
 "orig"
 {
   "n": "å"
 }
-"buffer_rune"
+"binary_rune"
 {
   "n": "å"
 }
-"buffer_byte"
+"binary_byte"
 {}
-null> "å(?<n>å)(å)" as $p | "cbbcåååccåååcbc", "åååcbbc", "cbbcååå" | ., "orig", scan($p), "buffer_rune", (tobytes | scan($p)), "buffer_byte", (tobytes | scan("ååå" | tobytes; "b"))
-"cbbcåååccåååcbc"
-"orig"
-[
-  "å",
-  "å"
-]
-[
-  "å",
-  "å"
-]
-"buffer_rune"
-   |00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 0a 0b 0c 0d 0e 0f|0123456789abcdef|
-0x0|            c3 a5 c3 a5 c3 a5                  |    ......      |.: raw bits 0x4-0x9.7 (6)
-    |00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 0a 0b 0c 0d 0e 0f|0123456789abcdef|
-0x00|                                    c3 a5 c3 a5|            ....|.: raw bits 0xc-0x11.7 (6)
-0x10|c3 a5                                          |..              |
-"buffer_byte"
-   |00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 0a 0b 0c 0d 0e 0f|0123456789abcdef|
-0x0|            c3 a5 c3 a5 c3 a5                  |    ......      |.: raw bits 0x4-0x9.7 (6)
-    |00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 0a 0b 0c 0d 0e 0f|0123456789abcdef|
-0x00|                                    c3 a5 c3 a5|            ....|.: raw bits 0xc-0x11.7 (6)
-0x10|c3 a5                                          |..              |
-"åååcbbc"
-"orig"
-[
-  "å",
-  "å"
-]
-"buffer_rune"
-   |00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 0a 0b 0c 0d 0e 0f|0123456789abcdef|
-0x0|c3 a5 c3 a5 c3 a5                              |......          |.: raw bits 0x0-0x5.7 (6)
-"buffer_byte"
-   |00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 0a 0b 0c 0d 0e 0f|0123456789abcdef|
-0x0|c3 a5 c3 a5 c3 a5                              |......          |.: raw bits 0x0-0x5.7 (6)
-"cbbcååå"
-"orig"
-[
-  "å",
-  "å"
-]
-"buffer_rune"
-   |00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 0a 0b 0c 0d 0e 0f|0123456789abcdef|
-0x0|            c3 a5 c3 a5 c3 a5|                 |    ......|     |.: raw bits 0x4-0x9.7 (6)
-"buffer_byte"
-   |00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 0a 0b 0c 0d 0e 0f|0123456789abcdef|
-0x0|            c3 a5 c3 a5 c3 a5|                 |    ......|     |.: raw bits 0x4-0x9.7 (6)
-null> "å(?<n>å)(å)" as $p | "cbbcåååccåååcbc", "åååcbbc", "cbbcååå" | ., "orig", splits($p), "buffer_rune", (tobytes | splits($p)), "buffer_byte", (tobytes | splits("ååå" | tobytes; "b"))
-"cbbcåååccåååcbc"
-"orig"
-"cbbc"
-"cc"
-"cbc"
-"buffer_rune"
-   |00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 0a 0b 0c 0d 0e 0f|0123456789abcdef|
-0x0|63 62 62 63                                    |cbbc            |.: raw bits 0x0-0x3.7 (4)
-    |00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 0a 0b 0c 0d 0e 0f|0123456789abcdef|
-0x00|                              63 63 c3 a5 c3 a5|          cc....|.: raw bits 0xa-0x11.7 (8)
-0x10|c3 a5                                          |..              |
-    |00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 0a 0b 0c 0d 0e 0f|0123456789abcdef|
-0x10|      63 62 63|                                |  cbc|          |.: raw bits 0x12-0x14.7 (3)
-"buffer_byte"
-   |00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 0a 0b 0c 0d 0e 0f|0123456789abcdef|
-0x0|63 62 62 63                                    |cbbc            |.: raw bits 0x0-0x3.7 (4)
-    |00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 0a 0b 0c 0d 0e 0f|0123456789abcdef|
-0x00|                              63 63 c3 a5 c3 a5|          cc....|.: raw bits 0xa-0x11.7 (8)
-0x10|c3 a5                                          |..              |
-    |00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 0a 0b 0c 0d 0e 0f|0123456789abcdef|
-0x10|      63 62 63|                                |  cbc|          |.: raw bits 0x12-0x14.7 (3)
-"åååcbbc"
-"orig"
-""
-"cbbc"
-"buffer_rune"
-   |00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 0a 0b 0c 0d 0e 0f|0123456789abcdef|
-   |                                               |                |.: raw bits 0x0-NA (0)
-   |00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 0a 0b 0c 0d 0e 0f|0123456789abcdef|
-0x0|                  63 62 62 63|                 |      cbbc|     |.: raw bits 0x6-0x9.7 (4)
-"buffer_byte"
-   |00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 0a 0b 0c 0d 0e 0f|0123456789abcdef|
-   |                                               |                |.: raw bits 0x0-NA (0)
-   |00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 0a 0b 0c 0d 0e 0f|0123456789abcdef|
-0x0|                  63 62 62 63|                 |      cbbc|     |.: raw bits 0x6-0x9.7 (4)
-"cbbcååå"
-"orig"
-"cbbc"
-""
-"buffer_rune"
-   |00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 0a 0b 0c 0d 0e 0f|0123456789abcdef|
-0x0|63 62 62 63                                    |cbbc            |.: raw bits 0x0-0x3.7 (4)
-   |00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 0a 0b 0c 0d 0e 0f|0123456789abcdef|
-   |                                               |                |.: raw bits 0xa-NA (0)
-"buffer_byte"
-   |00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 0a 0b 0c 0d 0e 0f|0123456789abcdef|
-0x0|63 62 62 63                                    |cbbc            |.: raw bits 0x0-0x3.7 (4)
-   |00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 0a 0b 0c 0d 0e 0f|0123456789abcdef|
-   |                                               |                |.: raw bits 0xa-NA (0)
-null> "ååå" as $p | "cbbcåååccåååcbc", "åååcbbc", "cbbcååå" | ., "orig", split($p), "buffer_rune", (tobytes | split($p)), "buffer_byte", (tobytes | split("ååå" | tobytes; "b"))
-"cbbcåååccåååcbc"
-"orig"
-[
-  "cbbc",
-  "cc",
-  "cbc"
-]
-"buffer_rune"
-[
-  "cbbc",
-  "ccååå",
-  "cbc"
-]
-"buffer_byte"
-[
-  "cbbc",
-  "ccååå",
-  "cbc"
-]
-"åååcbbc"
-"orig"
-[
-  "",
-  "cbbc"
-]
-"buffer_rune"
-[
-  "",
-  "cbbc"
-]
-"buffer_byte"
-[
-  "",
-  "cbbc"
-]
-"cbbcååå"
-"orig"
-[
-  "cbbc",
-  ""
-]
-"buffer_rune"
-[
-  "cbbc",
-  ""
-]
-"buffer_byte"
-[
-  "cbbc",
-  ""
-]
-null> "å(?<n>å)(å)" as $p | "cbbcåååccåååcbc", "åååcbbc", "cbbcååå" | ., "buffer_rune", (tobytes | scan_toend($p)), "buffer_byte", (tobytes | scan_toend("ååå" | tobytes; "b"))
+null> "å(?<n>å)(å)" as $p | "cbbcåååccåååcbc", "åååcbbc", "cbbcååå" | ., "binary_rune", (tobytes | .[match($p; "g").offset:]), "binary_byte", (tobytes | .[match("ååå" | tobytes; "gb").offset:])
 "cbbcåååccåååcbc"
-"buffer_rune"
+"binary_rune"
     |00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 0a 0b 0c 0d 0e 0f|0123456789abcdef|
 0x00|            c3 a5 c3 a5 c3 a5 63 63 c3 a5 c3 a5|    ......cc....|.: raw bits 0x4-0x14.7 (17)
 0x10|c3 a5 63 62 63|                                |..cbc|          |
     |00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 0a 0b 0c 0d 0e 0f|0123456789abcdef|
 0x00|                                    c3 a5 c3 a5|            ....|.: raw bits 0xc-0x14.7 (9)
 0x10|c3 a5 63 62 63|                                |..cbc|          |
-"buffer_byte"
+"binary_byte"
     |00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 0a 0b 0c 0d 0e 0f|0123456789abcdef|
 0x00|            c3 a5 c3 a5 c3 a5 63 63 c3 a5 c3 a5|    ......cc....|.: raw bits 0x4-0x14.7 (17)
 0x10|c3 a5 63 62 63|                                |..cbc|          |
@@ -454,17 +292,17 @@ null> "å(?<n>å)(å)" as $p | "cbbcåååccåååcbc", "åååcbbc", "cbbcåå
 0x00|                                    c3 a5 c3 a5|            ....|.: raw bits 0xc-0x14.7 (9)
 0x10|c3 a5 63 62 63|                                |..cbc|          |
 "åååcbbc"
-"buffer_rune"
+"binary_rune"
    |00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 0a 0b 0c 0d 0e 0f|0123456789abcdef|
 0x0|c3 a5 c3 a5 c3 a5 63 62 62 63|                 |......cbbc|     |.: raw bits 0x0-0x9.7 (10)
-"buffer_byte"
+"binary_byte"
    |00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 0a 0b 0c 0d 0e 0f|0123456789abcdef|
 0x0|c3 a5 c3 a5 c3 a5 63 62 62 63|                 |......cbbc|     |.: raw bits 0x0-0x9.7 (10)
 "cbbcååå"
-"buffer_rune"
+"binary_rune"
    |00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 0a 0b 0c 0d 0e 0f|0123456789abcdef|
 0x0|            c3 a5 c3 a5 c3 a5|                 |    ......|     |.: raw bits 0x4-0x9.7 (6)
-"buffer_byte"
+"binary_byte"
    |00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 0a 0b 0c 0d 0e 0f|0123456789abcdef|
 0x0|            c3 a5 c3 a5 c3 a5|                 |    ......|     |.: raw bits 0x4-0x9.7 (6)
 null> ^D