AI reverse-engineering tools compared: REA, IDA MCP, GhidraMCP and friends (Oct 2026)

leemie8848 — Sat, 17 Oct 2026 10:33:14 +0000

If you want a coding agent (Claude Code, Cursor, Codex…) to read a binary for you, you usually need a bridge: an MCP server that exposes a disassembler's functions, strings and cross-references to the model. I went through the most-used options on GitHub and wrote down only what each project's README says. Star counts are from the GitHub API on 2026-10-17 and are listed for context only. Stars aren't a quality signal: they can be inflated and say little about fit for your target.

The contenders

REA (morluto/rea)

What: One MCP server + CLI for reverse engineering across native binaries, JavaScript/Electron apps, .NET assemblies and websites.
Install: npx rea-agents setup (Node.js 22.19+/24.11+/26+). Setup registers REA with your agent.
Native analysis: uses an existing Hopper, Ghidra or IDA install; JS and .NET analysis need no engine.
License / maintenance: MIT · very actively developed (commits most days); about 296k stars as of 2026-10-17.
Pros: covers non-native targets out of the box; findings come with evidence and stated limitations; supports many agent clients.
Cons: big tool surface (some clients struggle with schema size); moving very fast, so docs and releases change often; its popularity has attracted fake copies, so install only from the official sources.

IDA Pro MCP (mrexodia/ida-pro-mcp)

What: Community MCP bridge between IDA Pro and LLMs.
Install: plugin installers for Claude Code (claude plugin install ida-pro-mcp@mrexodia), Codex and others; headless mode needs idalib + uv.
Requires: IDA Pro 8.3+ (9 recommended). IDA Free is not supported.
License / stars: MIT · ~13.0k ⭐ · last push 2026-09-26.
Pros: mature, widely used, deep IDA integration. Cons: needs a paid IDA Pro license.

Hex-Rays IDA MCP (HexRaysSA/ida-mcp)

What: The official Hex-Rays IDA MCP server.
Install: uvx ida-hcli mcp install (via Hex-Rays' hcli).
Requires: IDA 9.4+ with idalib and Python 3.11+.
License / stars: MIT · ~1.2k ⭐ · last push 2026-10-08.
Pros: vendor-maintained. Cons: newest IDA only; smaller community so far.

GhidraMCP (LaurieWired/GhidraMCP)

What: MCP server for Ghidra: a Ghidra extension plus a Python bridge.
Install: install the extension in Ghidra 12.1.4 (File → Install Extensions), run the bridge with uvx --from git+https://github.com/LaurieWired/GhidraMCP ghidra-mcp. A headless mode via PyGhidra is available.
License / stars: Apache-2.0 · ~11.3k ⭐ · last push 2026-10-10.
Pros: completely free stack; simple. Cons: native binaries only; focused tool set.

bethington/ghidra-mcp

What: Ghidra MCP server with 200+ tools, GUI plugin + headless server.
Install: release extension for Ghidra 12.1.4 + Java 21, bridge via uv tool install <release wheel>.
License / stars: Apache-2.0 · ~5.7k ⭐ · last push 2026-10-16.
Pros: broad tool coverage, Docker/CI-friendly headless mode. Cons: many tools means more context for the model.

pyghidra-mcp (clearbluejar/pyghidra-mcp)

What: Python, headless-first Ghidra MCP; can launch the GUI with --gui.
Install: uvx pyghidra-mcp …
License / stars: Apache-2.0 · ~450 ⭐ · last push 2026-10-10.
Pros: good for automation and multi-binary projects. Cons: smaller community.

Comparison table

Tool	Backend	Targets	License	Cost of backend
REA	Hopper / Ghidra / IDA + built-in analyzers	native, JS/Electron, .NET, web, Android…	MIT	free with Ghidra
ida-pro-mcp	IDA Pro	native	MIT	IDA Pro license
HexRaysSA/ida-mcp	IDA 9.4+	native	MIT	IDA license
GhidraMCP	Ghidra	native	Apache-2.0	free
bethington/ghidra-mcp	Ghidra	native	Apache-2.0	free
pyghidra-mcp	Ghidra (headless)	native	Apache-2.0	free

When to use which

You own IDA Pro: ida-pro-mcp (mature) or the official Hex-Rays server if you're on IDA 9.4+. If you're torn between them, there's a side-by-side of the two IDA MCP servers.
You want free and native-only: GhidraMCP for simplicity; bethington/ghidra-mcp for breadth; pyghidra-mcp for headless automation.
Your target isn't just a binary (Electron app, .NET, a website, an APK) or you want one setup across all of them: REA. It can sit on top of Ghidra, so it doesn't replace the tools above. (I keep an install walkthrough for REA if you get stuck.)

A word on safety

Popular RE tools attract copycats. Install from the official repo or package, and never run a "standalone exe" from a lookalike repo. And only analyze software you own or are authorized to examine.

Stars and versions change fast. Check each repo before you rely on these numbers.

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