Reverse Engineer Anything (REA, often searched as rea mcp) is an open-source MCP toolkit that connects a coding agent to reverse-engineering workflows: binaries, desktop apps, JavaScript/Electron trees, and other targets listed in the project docs. The public repository is morluto/rea; the product site is rea.tools. Below: install, a small example path, and the project's own legal / responsible-use limits. Checked November 6, 2026.
What REA is
The README subtitle: "One MCP for reverse engineering across binaries, applications, and runtime behavior." You ask your agent about a feature in a local target; REA inspects and returns findings with evidence; the agent can explain or implement a similar feature in your project.
Setup supports agents named in the docs (Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, Gemini CLI, Grok Build, and others listed under installation). Native analysis can use an existing Hopper, Ghidra, IDA, or Kuna install; setup may optionally install Hopper with approval. Static JavaScript analysis does not require a native decompiler.
License metadata on GitHub: MIT for REA-authored code. Third-party tools keep their own licenses.
Install and connect REA
Get-started docs require Node.js 22 (≥22.23.4), 24 (≥24.22.1), or 26.12.1+, with npm.
Primary setup command from the README and get-started guide:
npx rea-agents setup
Choose your agents, review the proposed config changes, approve them, then restart the agent. Setup registers the MCP server and workflow instructions (with backups). You can also npm install --global rea-agents and use the rea CLI.
One-off JavaScript/Electron inspection example from the README:
npx -y rea-agents@latest analyze-javascript-application /absolute/path/to/app --json
Replace the path with a target you are authorized to analyze. For native binaries, configure a provider first (Hopper / Ghidra / IDA / Kuna) per the installation and CLI guides.
Update paths documented by the project: rea update for a global install, or npx rea-agents@latest setup again after npx upgrades.
Official acquisition channels called out in the README: morluto/rea, rea.tools, and the rea-agents npm package. The README warns that a similar repository name or copied README does not make a download official.
Example investigation prompt
After setup, the README suggests prompts of this shape (paraphrased): ask the agent to understand how a feature works in a local app you own or may examine, show the evidence, and build a similar feature for your project. Keep the target path local to the machine where the agent runs.
This article does not walk through cracking a commercial product, bypassing license checks, or attacking systems you do not own. Those uses conflict with the project's disclaimer.
Legal and responsible-use limits
REA's README / DISCLAIMER framing (paraphrase; read the live files before you rely on them):
- REA is for lawful research, education, interoperability, software preservation, and analysis of software you own or are authorized to examine.
- The project's position on illegal or unauthorized use covers all REA versions and channels.
- You must legally obtain and be authorized to use commercial tools such as IDA Pro / Hex-Rays, Hopper, and JEB. REA grants no vendor license, key, or activation entitlement.
- Cracked copies, stolen keys, unauthorized key sharing, and bypassing license restrictions are not authorized.
If your jurisdiction or employer forbids reverse engineering a given binary, do not use REA on it. Tool capability is not permission.
GitHub and AI Rank snapshot
GitHub API check for this article: about 434,987 stars and 107,950 forks (counts move). On AI Rank's 2026-11-06 open-source snapshot, morluto/rea was rank 1 by the crawl's daily star growth (~433k stars in that snapshot).
→ Project ranking: morluto/rea on AI Rank — live rank and star deltas for the current crawl window.
FAQ
What does "reverse engineer anything" refer to?
The REA project (Reverse Engineer Anything): an MCP + CLI that helps agents inspect software targets with evidence. It is not a promise that every binary on earth will decompile cleanly.
How do I install REA?
Need a supported Node.js, then npx rea-agents setup (or a global rea-agents install). Restart your agent afterward.
Which agents work with REA?
Setup docs list Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, Gemini CLI, Grok Build, and additional agents on the installation page. Re-check that page for the current matrix.
Is reverse engineering other people's software legal?
Only when you have a lawful basis (ownership, authorization, applicable exceptions). REA's own disclaimer limits intended use to lawful, authorized analysis. This article is not legal advice.
Does REA include IDA or Hopper licenses?
No. You must supply licensed tools yourself under vendor terms.
Sources
- GitHub: morluto/rea (README, disclaimer, install, MIT)
- Docs: Get started / rea.tools
- npm: rea-agents
- AI Rank: morluto/rea (snapshot 2026-11-06)
Not affiliated with REA / morluto. Follow live docs and local law; do not treat this page as authorization to analyze software you are not allowed to examine.
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Prepared with automated editorial assistance and checked against official sources and dated AI Rank data on November 6, 2026. We did not run our own benchmarks for this article.