{
 "schemaVersion": 1,
 "generated": "2026-10-30",
 "dataLicense": "CC BY-SA 4.0",
 "license": "CC BY-SA 4.0",
 "notice": "Data from Open Source Everything (https://opensourceeverything.org), licensed CC BY-SA 4.0: use it freely, credit the site, link to the page, and share changes under the same license. Listings were drafted with AI assistance and are managed by the r/TrueOpenSource moderators; check a project's own page before relying on a fact.",
 "id": "reverse-engineering",
 "name": "Reverse engineering",
 "page": "https://opensourceeverything.org/g/reverse-engineering/",
 "category": "dev",
 "categoryName": "Writing code",
 "job": "Taking apart programs and firmware to see how they work",
 "closedApps": [
  "IDA Pro",
  "Binary Ninja",
  "Hopper"
 ],
 "coverage": null,
 "alternatives": [
  {
   "id": "ghidra",
   "name": "Ghidra",
   "page": "https://opensourceeverything.org/p/ghidra/",
   "summary": "Ghidra is a free tool from the US National Security Agency for taking apart compiled programs and firmware to understand how they work. It is mainly for security researchers and professional analysts who study software for vulnerabilities or malicious code.",
   "kind": "developer_tool",
   "setup": "easy",
   "setupWhy": "It is a desktop program you download and open, though it is aimed at specialists.",
   "platforms": [
    "windows",
    "mac",
    "linux"
   ],
   "license": "Apache-2.0",
   "licenseClass": "open",
   "licenseNeedsCheck": false,
   "stars": 95068,
   "forks": null,
   "status": "active",
   "verified": false,
   "latestRelease": null,
   "code": "https://github.com/NationalSecurityAgency/ghidra",
   "website": "https://ghidra-sre.org",
   "download": null,
   "release": null,
   "family": null,
   "familyChildren": [],
   "howToHelp": null,
   "project": "ghidra",
   "rank": 1,
   "fit": "full",
   "note": null,
   "why": "Does the whole job · Easy setup",
   "score": 73.9
  },
  {
   "id": "cutter",
   "name": "Cutter",
   "page": "https://opensourceeverything.org/p/cutter/",
   "summary": "Cutter is a free program for studying how existing software and firmware work by taking them apart without the original source code. It is aimed at security researchers and reverse engineers who analyze programs.",
   "kind": "app",
   "setup": "easy",
   "setupWhy": "Install it like a normal app, or use it in your browser.",
   "platforms": [
    "windows",
    "mac",
    "linux"
   ],
   "license": "GPL-3.0",
   "licenseClass": "open",
   "licenseNeedsCheck": false,
   "stars": 20107,
   "forks": null,
   "status": "active",
   "verified": false,
   "latestRelease": null,
   "code": "https://github.com/rizinorg/cutter",
   "website": "https://cutter.re",
   "download": null,
   "release": null,
   "family": null,
   "familyChildren": [],
   "howToHelp": null,
   "project": "cutter",
   "rank": 2,
   "fit": "full",
   "note": null,
   "why": "Does the whole job · Easy setup",
   "score": 68.9
  },
  {
   "id": "imhex",
   "name": "ImHex",
   "page": "https://opensourceeverything.org/p/imhex/",
   "summary": "ImHex is a free program for viewing and editing the raw bytes inside files, with tools to decode and inspect their structure. It is aimed at reverse engineers, programmers and anyone who needs to look closely at binary data.",
   "kind": "app",
   "setup": "easy",
   "setupWhy": "Install it like a normal app, or use it in your browser.",
   "platforms": [
    "windows",
    "mac",
    "linux"
   ],
   "license": "GPL-2.0",
   "licenseClass": "open",
   "licenseNeedsCheck": false,
   "stars": 55607,
   "forks": null,
   "status": "active",
   "verified": false,
   "latestRelease": null,
   "code": "https://github.com/WerWolv/ImHex",
   "website": null,
   "download": null,
   "release": null,
   "family": null,
   "familyChildren": [],
   "howToHelp": null,
   "project": "imhex",
   "rank": 3,
   "fit": "partial",
   "note": "Has hex editing, disassembler and pattern tools, but no full decompiler or debugger.",
   "why": "Does part of the job · Easy setup",
   "score": 41.2
  }
 ],
 "source": "https://opensourceeverything.org/g/reverse-engineering/",
 "group": "Reverse engineering",
 "replaces": [
  "IDA Pro",
  "Binary Ninja",
  "Hopper"
 ]
}