REA

REA, through the community

Reverse engineer
anything.

reverseengineeranything.tools is an independent guide to REA, an open-source MCP server and CLI for investigating software with coding agents.

Explore real use cases Official docs
Official REA screenshot showing its analysis bridge inside Hopper while inspecting a native binary
Use your coding agent to inspect local software, then check the code behind its findings.Official REA project screenshot ↗

What are people doing with REA?

Games, parsers, APKs and everyday app behavior. Follow each investigation back to the person who shared it.

8 of 8 cases · Sources reviewed October 12, 2026

Tuomo Tuunanen@tuunanet
Original excerpt
A few hours later, I had reconstructed the Snowball War mini-game from Ski or Die in Rust + SDL2. 👀

Excerpt from the linked post

Community report · not independently reproduced · linked code and demo

Reconstruct Snowball War in Rust

Tuomo says a Sunday REA session led to a Rust + SDL2 reconstruction of the Snowball War mini-game from Ski or Die.

Context & evidence

Context compiled by this guide

Target
Snowball War from Ski or Die
Method
Used REA during a reconstruction session and implemented the game in Rust with SDL2.
Reported result
Reported a reconstructed mini-game after a few hours and linked code plus a playable demo; linked artifacts have not been inspected.
Read original post on X
Israfil@Israfilv2
Original excerpt
i rebuilt the parser in 17 lines. first test run 21/22, one fix later 22/22.

Excerpt from the linked post

Community report · not independently reproduced

Rebuild a JavaScript duration parser

Israfil reports mapping the open-source ms package, then rebuilding its parser and checking the replacement against the original.

Context & evidence

Context compiled by this guide

Target
The open-source ms npm package
Method
Ran rea analyze-javascript-application, inspected 5 functions and 21 call sites, and rewrote the parser in 17 lines.
Reported result
Reported 21/22 checks passing initially, then 22/22 after one fix. The 1.3-second analysis time and test counts are the author's claims.
Read original post on X
Yum⋆₊˚@yuhasbeentaken
Original excerpt
i tested the same app with and without REA, and vanilla opus actually finished first.

Excerpt from the linked post

Community report · not independently reproduced · comparative experiment

Reconstruct an app and compare workflows

After 12 hours of testing, Yum reports recreating an unnamed app with zoom, sharing, drawing, rotation, annotations and saving.

Context & evidence

Context compiled by this guide

Target
An unnamed app with drawing and annotation features
Method
Gave the agent a high-level reconstruction instruction and compared REA with a vanilla Opus workflow.
Reported result
Reported that vanilla Opus finished first; REA also produced the listed features and a more structured investigation workflow.
Read original post on X
AZERDSQ1838@AZERDSQ0329
Original excerpt
I have fully reverse-engineered the game, now I’m adapting it pixel by pixel.

Excerpt from the linked post

Community report · not independently reproduced · work in progress

Study and rebuild 1991 Lemmings

The author reports using REA on Lemmings and moving from reverse engineering into pixel-by-pixel adaptation.

Context & evidence

Context compiled by this guide

Target
Lemmings (1991)
Method
Continued a REA-assisted reconstruction and began adapting the presentation pixel by pixel.
Reported result
The author says reverse engineering is complete; adaptation is ongoing. No completed game or correctness benchmark was verified.
Read original post on X
테크형@TechHyung
Translated excerpt
I tried giving it the Muse APK, and the analysis results are surprising.

Site translation · excerpt from the linked post

Community report · not independently reproduced

Inspect an APK before building an agent

TechHyung says they gave REA a Muse APK to learn how its features were implemented while planning an agent of their own.

Context & evidence

Context compiled by this guide

Target
A Muse Android APK
Method
Used REA to inspect the APK for implementation details and server communication.
Reported result
Reported finding extensive server communication. This is a user observation, not a verified privacy or security finding.
Read original post on X
Arjun Shah@arjunkshah21
Original excerpt
An open-source harness to reverse engineer anything. Built on top of the popular Reverse Engineer Anything (REA) repo

Excerpt from the linked post

Community tool author · launch report

Build a multi-provider harness on REA

Arjun announces reaharness, an open-source agent harness built on REA with multiple model providers and structured tool results.

Context & evidence

Context compiled by this guide

Target
REA-based agent workflows
Method
Built a multi-provider agent loop and idempotent setup for several coding agents.
Reported result
Announced a public site and repository. This is a tooling launch, rather than proof that a particular target was reconstructed.
Read original post on X
The AI Wave@The_AI_Wave_
Original excerpt
REA’s DX-Ball case study reconstructs a sound-pan function in C, reporting 3,205 behavior checks and 63 matching compiled bytes.

Excerpt from the linked post

Project case study · discussed on X

Recover a 1996 game's sound-pan function

This post summarizes REA's DX-Ball case study: reconstructing a small sound-pan function in C and validating it against the original x86 behavior.

Context & evidence

Context compiled by this guide

Target
DX-Ball sound-pan routine
Method
Recovered inputs omitted by decompiler output and reconstructed the function in C.
Reported result
The project case study reports 3,205 behavior checks and 63 matching compiled bytes. It does not demonstrate a complete playable game.
Project source ↗
Read original post on X
Arena@shiparena
Original excerpt
It traced how Notion handles clipboard operations through Electron IPC

Excerpt from the linked post

Project case study · discussed on X

Follow Notion's clipboard path through Electron

Arena points to REA's documented investigation of Notion's clipboard operations through Electron IPC.

Context & evidence

Context compiled by this guide

Target
Notion desktop clipboard bridge
Method
Followed clipboard behavior across Electron's renderer, preload bridge and main process.
Reported result
The official case study describes Notion’s clipboard path and cites code references; the X author is discussing that example.
Project source ↗
Read original post on X

These are attributed reports, not independent reproductions. Six are first-person usage, testing or tooling reports; two discuss official project examples. Ongoing work and comparative results are kept in context. Send a correction or a case with an original source.

Your first investigation

How do you get started?

Pick one behavior you want to understand. Give your coding agent a target, then ask it to show its evidence.

Read the setup guide

Run in your terminal

npx rea-agents@latest setup

  1. Choose your coding agent

    Review the setup plan, approve the changes, then restart your agent to load REA’s MCP server and investigation skill.

  2. Start with a narrow question

    Try an application you own or are authorized to inspect. Ask where a feature’s behavior comes from, rather than requesting a full clone.

  3. Check the result

    Follow code references, read the limitations and compare behavior against the original before trusting a reconstruction.

A first prompt to try

Use REA to inspect /absolute/path/to/my-app. Explain how CSV export works. Show the code, source locations, and anything you cannot confirm.
Check current requirements

What can REA help you inspect?

Native binaries

Assembly, pseudocode, symbols and call references. Needs a compatible Hopper, Ghidra or IDA installation.

JavaScript & Electron

Modules, imports, routes, IPC and source maps. Static inspection does not require a native disassembler.

Browser behavior

Inspect a connected page, loaded scripts and observed behavior. Use Chrome DevTools for hands-on debugging.

.NET & packages

Inspect assembly metadata, CIL, dependencies and package resources. Check the current release for target support.

Keep the scope honest. Decompiled code is not original source. A working feature is not a complete application. REA runs analysis locally, but the agent’s model provider may receive tool results. GitHub main can include features that have not shipped to npm yet.

Which guide should you read first?

Setup instructions and tool comparisons, with the tradeoffs spelled out.

REA vs Chrome DevTools: Agent Investigation or Direct Debugging?

Choose Chrome DevTools for interactive browser debugging and REA for coding-agent investigations with scripts, requests, and supporting evidence.

Oct 12, 2026reverseengineeranything.tools

How to Use REA with Coding Agents: Your First Investigation

Install REA, connect your coding agent, inspect a local JavaScript app, and check a finding against evidence before rebuilding a feature.

Oct 12, 2026reverseengineeranything.tools

REA vs Ghidra: Which Reverse Engineering Workflow Fits?

Compare REA and Ghidra by task, inputs, outputs, manual control, setup requirements, and the option to use Ghidra through REA.

Oct 12, 2026reverseengineeranything.tools
Browse all guides

What should you know about REA?

Practical answers before your first investigation.

What is Reverse Engineer Anything (REA)?

REA is an open-source MCP server and CLI that connects a coding agent to software analysis tools. The agent can inspect code, trace behavior and check a reconstruction against evidence. REA is not a standalone AI model.

Is this the official REA website?

No. reverseengineeranything.tools is an independent community guide. The official project is morluto/rea on GitHub and rea.tools. This site curates public reports and links to the original sources; it is not affiliated with or endorsed by the REA maintainers.

How do I install REA for Claude Code or Codex?

Run npx rea-agents@latest setup in a terminal, select your coding agent, review and approve the setup plan, then restart the agent. Check the official installation guide for the current release and client compatibility. Installing a skill alone does not register the MCP server.

What can REA analyze?

Documented targets include native binaries, JavaScript and Electron applications, browser pages, .NET assemblies and software packages. Available capabilities depend on the released package, your operating system and the provider. Features on GitHub main may not yet be in the npm release.

Do I need Ghidra, Hopper or IDA?

Native disassembly and decompilation need a compatible engine such as Ghidra, Hopper or IDA. Static JavaScript and .NET inspection do not need a native disassembler. Use the engine and runtime versions in the REA compatibility documentation.

Which Node.js versions does REA support?

The installation documentation reviewed on October 12, 2026 lists Node 22.19 or later in the 22.x line, Node 24.11 or later in the 24.x line, or Node 26 and later. Node 23, Node 25 and prereleases are unsupported. Recheck the official guide before installation.

Is REA free, and are there credits on this site?

This guide is free to read without an account, subscriptions or credits. REA-owned code is MIT-licensed. Your coding agent, model provider and commercial engines such as Hopper or IDA can have separate costs and licenses.

Does all REA data stay on my computer?

REA performs analysis locally, but tool results are provided to your coding agent and may reach its model provider. Review that provider’s data policy before analyzing sensitive software. This community site does not accept software uploads or run investigations.

Can REA recover the original source code, and how long does it take?

Disassembly, pseudocode and behavior observations can help explain software, but they do not guarantee recovery of its original source. Time varies by target, engine and agent; there is no fixed completion time. Test reconstructed behavior against the original and read each result’s limitations.

Are the X use cases independently verified?

The cards summarize the linked authors’ public reports. They are not independent reproductions or endorsements. Work in progress, tool launches and discussions of official examples are labelled separately. A report that another workflow was faster is retained as part of the evidence.

Can I use REA in a commercial project?

REA-owned code is MIT-licensed, which permits commercial use subject to the license terms. Third-party components, commercial engines and target software have separate licenses. REA does not grant rights to another application or its assets.

What’s new on this page

  • — Published this independent REA guide with attributed sources and release-aware setup information.