Nelglor
91830f1e0e
* feat(managed): name the declaring type of call and field targets
Call edges named external targets by member name alone (Join, ToJson,
WriteAllText), and method-spec edges had no name at all, so an analyst could
not tell which library a method calls or find every use of a type without a
decompiler. Field accesses through MemberRefs had no name either.
Name each TypeDef, TypeRef, and generic-instantiation TypeSpec once, in the
namespace-qualified form TypeDef full_name uses, and add member_refs
parent_name, call_edges target_declaring_type, and field_accesses
field_declaring_type. A method-spec target reports the generic method it
instantiates. Fields, member references, methods, and method specs now
resolve through one token-keyed MemberCore lookup instead of three maps.
Evidence recorded before these fields reads them as null.
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 5.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
* fix(managed): validate spec blobs and member kinds before naming targets
Address review findings on declaring-type naming:
- A generic instantiation must name a TypeDef or TypeRef, so a TypeSpec
base is reported as malformed instead of followed. Naming no longer
recurses.
- TypeSpec and MethodSpec instantiation blobs are decoded with the
member-signature grammar. Malformed blobs and out-of-range TypeDef rows
are reported against their owning row and make coverage partial.
- A MethodSpec reads both columns. An invalid Method coded index is
reported; a readable Method keeps its name beside a malformed
instantiation.
- MemberCore carries its signature kind, so a field operand is named only
by a field or field-signature MemberRef. This replaces the token-table
guard.
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 5.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
* fix(managed): validate MethodSpec arity and report unsupported spec blobs
- A MethodSpec now checks that its method signature is generic and that
the instantiation supplies as many type arguments as it declares. A
non-generic target, a field reference, or a count mismatch is reported
as invalid-row; the readable method keeps its name.
- Unsupported TypeSpec and MethodSpec forms raise an owner-scoped
unsupported-signature issue instead of reading as an intentional
unknown.
- MethodSpec reading moves to ManagedMethodSpecs.ts, and its tests get
their own describe block.
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 5.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
* fix(managed): reject non-method signature headers and invalid TypeRef scopes
The method signature header reader now owns the calling-convention rule
that only FNPTR applied: FIELD, LOCAL_SIG, PROPERTY, and GENERICINST
headers, the reserved bit, and EXPLICITTHIS without HASTHIS are malformed.
A MethodSpec whose method has a PROPERTY header is no longer accepted as a
generic method, and member signatures with such headers no longer decode
as methods.
The type-name lookup validates a TypeRef's ResolutionScope coded index and
reports an out-of-range scope as invalid-row, keeping the readable name.
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 5.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
* fix(managed): hold member rows to MethodDefSig and FieldSig headers
Method signature headers are now checked in context. MethodDef and
MemberRef rows accept only the MethodDefSig/MethodRefSig headers: DEFAULT,
VARARG, or GENERIC with DEFAULT. FNPTR keeps the unmanaged conventions
compilers emit for function pointers. A field signature must be exactly
FIELD, so a flagged FIELD header is malformed and never names a field.
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 5.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
* fix(managed): accept MethodSpec arity only from a fully decoded signature
The arity check read only the target's signature header, so a truncated
generic method signature passed. Under type selection a MethodDef target
outside the selection is never decoded elsewhere, so coverage stayed
complete. The arity now comes from a transient full decode, and only a
decoded method signature supplies it. signature() keeps its raw length
and digest around the shared decodeSignature.
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 5.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
* perf(managed): decode each MethodSpec target signature once
edgeTargets caches the generic arity, including a failed decode, by
target method token, so many instantiations of one generic method share
a single signature decode. Unity.InputSystem has 472 distinct MethodSpecs
over about 133 target methods.
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 5.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
* fix(managed): validate spec type operands and transitive reference scopes
* fix(managed): retain readable names when a scope row is unreadable
* test(managed): pin owner-scoped spec operand and scope-chain checks
e59217c83 validates spec type operands inside specSignature, so a
malformed generic TypeSpec base is now invalid-row under its owning
TypeSpec row; the three stale expectations follow that. New cases cover
a TypeSpec argument and a MethodSpec argument that name a missing TypeRef,
and a TypeRef whose ResolutionScope names itself. The scope cases move to
their own describe block.
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 5.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
* fix(managed): keep field targets from naming MethodSpecs
A MethodSpec over a field-signature MemberRef inherited kind "field", so
an ldsfld on that MethodSpec published a field name and declaring type
for malformed IL. A MethodSpec now borrows its target's name only when
the target is not a field; the arity check still reports it.
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 5.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
* fix(managed): reuse owner-decoded signatures for MethodSpec arity
MemberRef signatures, and MethodDef signatures in the type selection, are
already fully decoded, but the MethodSpec arity check decoded them again
and admitted a second transient allocation, which could exhaust the
budget. MemberCore now carries the owner's genericArity, and only a target
nothing decoded, such as an unselected MethodDef, falls back to the raw
signature. signatureGenericArity is the one rule for both paths.
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 5.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
---------
Co-authored-by: Claude Opus 5.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
Co-authored-by: morluto <76467478+morluto@users.noreply.github.com>
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REA: Reverse Engineer Anything
One MCP for reverse engineering across binaries, applications, and runtime behavior.
See a feature you like. Understand how it works, down to the binary level.
Quick start · How REA works · What you can analyze · Showcases · FAQ · Documentation
npx rea-agents setup
 Join the Reverse Engineering Community Discord · Q&A · Show and Tell |
See a feature in an app that you want in your own product? Ask your agent to investigate it with REA. It can inspect the app without its source code, explain how the feature works, show the evidence, and build a version for your project.
REA connects your agent to tools for inspecting native binaries, JavaScript and Electron apps, .NET assemblies, and websites. You can also use the same tools from your terminal. Analysis runs locally, and results include the evidence and limitations behind each conclusion.
Setup registers REA with your agent and installs matching workflow instructions. Native analysis can use an existing Hopper, Ghidra, or IDA installation; setup can optionally install Hopper with approval. Static JavaScript analysis needs no native analysis engine.
Visit the REA website for setup instructions, illustrated guides, and real case studies.
Quick start
Set up your agent
With Node.js and npm installed, run:
npx rea-agents setup
Choose your agents, review the proposed changes, and approve them. Setup adds REA's MCP server and matching workflow instructions, with backups of existing configuration. Restart your agent afterward.
Setup supports Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, Gemini CLI, Grok Build and other agents. See installation and setup for provider configuration and manual MCP registration.
Ask your agent
Understand how search works in the Notes app, show me the evidence, and build a
similar feature for my project.
Replace Notes with your target app and the feature you want to understand.
Use the terminal
Inspect an extracted JavaScript/Electron app directory or ASAR:
npx -y rea-agents@latest analyze-javascript-application /absolute/path/to/app --json
The result includes modules, imports, Electron boundaries and their evidence.
Replace the path with your target, such as "D:/apps/example" on Windows.
To install the rea command for regular use:
npm install --global rea-agents
rea --help
For native analysis, configure a provider first. See the CLI and Evidence guide for native commands, provider selection, snapshots and scripting.
Update REA
REA changes quickly, and new releases include frequent bug fixes. Keep your installation up to date.
For a CLI installed with npm install --global or bun add --global:
rea update
Bun global updates require Bun 1.2.17 or later. With an older Bun release,
upgrade Bun manually before running rea update.
To refresh your agent registrations and skill, run the setup command printed by the update.
If you use npx, update your agent setup with:
npx rea-agents@latest setup
Review the setup changes and restart your agent. For one-off CLI commands,
use npx rea-agents@latest followed by the command. With Bun, use
bunx rea-agents@latest in place of npx rea-agents@latest.
How REA works
Your agent calls REA through MCP to inspect the target and trace relevant code. REA returns findings with their evidence. The agent uses them to ask follow-up questions, explain the behavior, or write and test an implementation. CLI commands use the same workflows.
What you can analyze
REA requires Node.js 22.x (>=22.19), 24.x (>=24.11), or 26+, plus npm. Additional tools and host support depend on the target:
| Target | What REA returns | Requirements and guide |
|---|---|---|
| Native binaries | Pseudocode, assembly, strings, symbols, calls and references | Hopper, Ghidra or IDA; native analysis |
| Offline ELF layout | Sections, segments, original symbols/relocations and static mitigation candidates | Caller-supplied pwntools on Linux x64; binary diagnostics |
| Go binaries | Embedded compiler version, modules, replacements and build settings | Built-in static ELF/PE/thin Mach-O inspection; no Go installation required |
| WASM artifact | Validation, sections, exact import/export WAT forms and decoded WAT | Caller-supplied WABT 1.0.42; inspect_wasm_artifact |
| EVM bytecode | Dispatch selectors, byte offsets, inferred arguments and mutability | Local raw/hex carrier on Linux x64; offline EVM guide |
| SQLite databases | Tables, columns, indexes, views, triggers and selected ordinary-table rows | Local database/WAL snapshot; Node.js 24.x >=24.15 or 26+ with native SQLite limits |
| Recorded Linux crashes | Raw notes, every recorded thread's registers/signals and optional mapping candidates | Caller-supplied pwntools on Linux x64; optional GDB/pwndbg; recorded crashes |
| JavaScript / Electron | Modules, imports, source maps, routes, IPC and native add-on relationships | Node.js and npm; application analysis |
| Websites | Page structure, scripts, network observations and requested screenshots | A Chrome-family browser; browser analysis |
| Saved network captures | Requests, responses, exposed payloads and source locations | HAR or Fiddler Everywhere SAZ; mitmdump on Linux for native mitmproxy; capture guide |
| .NET assemblies | Metadata, CIL instructions, declared native dependencies and build comparisons | None (static only); managed-code guide |
| Android APKs | Manifest declarations, classes, decompiled methods and references | Headless JADX and a full JDK on Linux/macOS/Windows x64; Android guide |
| Android devices | Devices, packages, processes, logs, dumps, screen captures, and APK/file transfers | Caller-supplied adb (emulator or hardware); ADB guide |
| JEB projects | Engine-backed project units, artifact digests and type/method pseudo-code | A caller-started JEB client serving MCP, selected with REA_JEB_MCP_URL; JEB guide |
| Android resources | Decoded manifest, string tables, locales and version facts | Caller-supplied Apktool launcher; resource guide |
| Flutter apps | Dart snapshot hash, per-ABI library digests and engine build provenance | None (static APK parsing); Flutter guide |
| Firmware | Regions, extraction results and native-analysis handoffs | Binwalk / Unblob on Linux; firmware guide |
| Recorded packets | Selected fields, repeated values, filters and decode-as rules | Linux: TShark 4.x + prlimit; capture guide |
| Packet summaries | Endpoints, DNS, TLS SNI, protocol distribution and HTTP requests | Caller-supplied tshark and capinfos (Linux-verified); pcap guide |
| Recorded logic signals | Decoder annotations, sample ranges and diagnostics | Linux: sigrok-cli 0.7.2 + prlimit; signal recordings |
| Packages and resources | File inventories, digests, plists, Apple bundle anatomy and extracted resources | Artifact and JavaScript guide, Apple applications |
| Process behavior | Terminal output, interactions, exit and filesystem observations, and run comparisons | Linux/macOS with a native PTY; process capture |
Static JavaScript and .NET inspection read the supplied files without running the application. Runtime capture runs or interacts with the selected target using your user permissions; each runtime guide describes its effects.
Native formats and host support vary by provider. See
Hopper and Ghidra setup, the
IDA guide (including an optional native MCP bridge), and
experimental Windows Ghidra support.
Ghidra also supports 16-bit DOS analysis.
For large binaries, raise the provider's startup deadline with
REA_GHIDRA_STARTUP_TIMEOUT_MS or REA_HOPPER_STARTUP_TIMEOUT_MS.
For provider selection, see the CLI guide.
Check release availability
for features added since the latest npm release.
Showcases
DX-Ball: reconstruct a sound-pan calculation
Follow a sound call into its position-to-pan helper, inspect the instructions, and turn incomplete pseudocode into C. The reconstruction passes 3,205 original-x86 cases and reproduces all 63 compiled function bytes.
Read the case study · Reconstruction repository
Notion: trace the Electron clipboard bridge
Find the renderer's clipboard API, follow it through preload and IPC into the main process, and inspect the rich clipboard format.
TH04: recover a DOS bullet-ring calculation
Inspect the original PC-98 game's 16-bit instructions, recover the fixed and aimed angle calculations, and compare the reconstructed C++ with the historical compiler output.
Read the case study · Reconstruction repository
If you've used REA on something interesting, we'd love to see it. Share your case in an issue or a pull request, including the target, your question, how REA helped, and what you found.
FAQ
Which agents can use REA?
Any agent that supports local MCP servers. Setup configures the supported agents; other clients can use manual MCP registration.
Do I need Hopper, Ghidra or IDA?
Deep native analysis uses one of them. Static JavaScript and .NET inspection work without a native analysis engine. Setup can install Hopper after approval; Ghidra and IDA use your existing installations. See provider setup.
Do I need to start Hopper first?
REA starts Hopper when an operation needs it. On macOS, a first-run dialog may ask you to choose demo mode or activate your license. Complete that prompt in the same user session before your first CLI/MCP operation or unattended job. Open Hopper manually if needed. See Hopper startup and troubleshooting.
What does installing the skill from skills.sh do?
The skill supplies investigation instructions for your agent. Use npx rea-agents setup
to register REA's MCP server and install the matching instructions, then restart
your agent. See skill-only installation.
What code does REA return?
Native analysis returns pseudocode and assembly. JavaScript/Electron analysis recovers modules and their relationships. Your agent uses these findings to write and test an implementation; the showcases give worked examples.
Does REA upload my app?
REA analyzes targets locally. Your agent receives the tool results, and its model provider has its own data policy.
What should I do if I hit a bug?
Update first; a recent release may already fix it.
For a CLI installed with npm install --global or bun add --global:
rea update
For agent setup through npx:
npx rea-agents@latest setup
If you're using an agent, complete the setup refresh and restart it. Retry the same task. If the problem persists, open an issue with your REA version, target type, steps to reproduce and error output.
Documentation
Start with the website's worked guides. For exact options, prerequisites and result contracts:
- Installation and setup: agent registration, provider configuration, updates and uninstall.
- Readiness and troubleshooting: diagnose one agent or analysis engine.
- CLI and Evidence: commands, provider selection, snapshots, import/export and exit statuses.
- MCP contracts and agent prompts: tool results, sessions and guided investigations.
- Tool catalog: generated inventory of tools, providers and CLI commands.
- Roadmap: planned work and capability trackers.
Report vulnerabilities through SECURITY.md.
Star history
🎉 170,000 GitHub stars — thank you!
Thanks to everyone using REA, reporting bugs, requesting features, testing builds, and contributing fixes.
Disclaimer
See DISCLAIMER.md for responsible-use guidance.
The project's position on illegal or unauthorized use covers all REA versions, distribution channels, and platforms; each copy retains its applicable licenses.
REA is for lawful research, education, interoperability, software preservation, and analysis of software you own or are authorized to examine.
Contributing
We'd love your help with REA! Open an issue to report a bug or suggest a feature, or send a pull request to improve the code or docs.
See CONTRIBUTING.md for development setup and checks, testing for verification lanes, and the architecture map for the project structure.
License
REA-authored code is licensed under MIT. Third-party material retains its own licenses and copyright notices; see Third-party notices for the dependency inventory, preserved license texts, and external-tool terms.
You must legally obtain and be authorized to use commercial tools, including IDA Pro / Hex-Rays decompilers, Hopper, and JEB, under their applicable licenses. REA grants no tool license, key, or activation entitlement. Trials and demos remain subject to vendor terms, including user, feature, automation, and output sharing restrictions. Cracked copies, stolen keys, unauthorized key sharing, and bypassing license restrictions are not authorized. This guidance does not amend MIT or third-party licenses.