Skip to content

How to Reverse Engineer Anything with AI: Complete Guide to REA GitHub Repo

What is the REA (Reverse Engineer Anything) Repo?

REA is a viral GitHub repo (200K+ stars) that enables AI to reverse engineer and replicate applications by analyzing their compiled code. It acts as middleware between Claude Code and decompilation tools like Hopper and Ghidra. For a deeper dive into how to Reverse Engineer Any App with AI, check out our dedicated tutorial.

How REA Works

  • Installation: Clone the REA repo and set it up with Claude Code
  • Decompilation Tools: REA uses either Hopper ($99 license, fast, 30-min demo) or Ghidra (free, open-source, slower but more detailed)
  • Process Flow:
    1. You ask a question (e.g., "How does Apple Notes search work?")
    2. REA finds the binary and sends it to Hopper/Ghidra
    3. The decompiler converts machine code into readable code
    4. Claude reads the output and understands logic

Setting Up Claude Code for REA

Essential Settings

  • Bypass Permissions: Enable in Claude Code settings to allow continuous operation
  • Computer Use: Turn on for remote control capabilities
  • Background Mode: Keep Claude running in background to avoid interference
  • Screen Recording: Grant accessibility permissions

MCP Server Configuration

  • REA adds ~170 tools as MCP servers
  • Must start a new Claude Code session after installation
  • Config saved in .claude.json at project folder level

Hopper vs Ghidra: Which to Choose?

| Feature | Hopper | Ghidra | |---|---|---| | Cost | $99 license (30-min demo) | Free, open-source | | Install Size | 100 MB | 500 MB + Java | | Speed | Fast file opening | Slower | | Best For | Mac/iPhone apps (C, Swift) | Game engines, firmware, CLIs | | Decompiled Quality | Good | Better, more detailed | | Analogy | Pocket knife | Full workshop toolbox |

Practical Example: Cloning MindNode

Step-by-Step Process

  1. Prepare: Create a new project folder (e.g., rak-testing)
  2. Install REA: Run installation in fresh Claude Code session
  3. Choose Decompiler: Install Hopper or Ghidra
  4. Configure: Set up permissions, computer use, and bypass mode
  5. Analyze: Instruct Claude to analyze the target app deeply
  6. Clone: AI creates sub-agents (up to 8) using Haiku 3.5 or Opus 3.5

If you're new to this workflow, the Claude Code Full Course: Build AI Agents Without Coding provides an excellent foundation.

Results from MindNode Clone

  • Working Features: Node creation, text formatting (bold, italic, underline, strike), theme selection, color changes, branch colors, outlines
  • Export Options: Download as PNG, create multiple boards
  • Performance: Even with incomplete build, functionality was impressive

Token Consumption & Time Requirements

  • Plan: Max plan recommended (low plans may time out)
  • Usage: 13-19% of Max plan for full app analysis
  • Time: 43+ minutes for full Ghidra analysis of 200,000+ functions
  • Timeouts: Set 2-3 hour limits to prevent interruptions

For a broader perspective on how these tools compare, see our Claude Code vs OpenAI Codex: Real AI Coding Tool Comparison.

Alternative Approach: Screen Recording Method

For complex cloning tasks, use this more efficient approach:

  1. Screen record the target app showing specific features
  2. Tell Claude to analyze at least 10-15 frames per second
  3. Create sub-agents with Haiku 3.5 (40x cheaper)
  4. Combine screenshots with voice narration (Claude extracts audio via Whisper)

Best Practices

  • For Study Only: Use for research, not commercial cloning
  • One Feature at a Time: Simpler than full app cloning
  • Use Parallel Agents: Let Claude create multiple sub-agents
  • Monitor Usage: Heavy token consumption from iterative analysis
  • Persistent Sessions: Set up long-lived MCP servers to avoid re-analysis

Understanding the broader impact of these AI tools can help you use them more effectively. Learn about The Revolutionary Impact of Claude AI: A Game-Changer for Software Engineering. For a more visual walkthrough, the Claude Full Masterclass 2025: The Complete Guide in Tamil covers everything from basics to advanced techniques.

Ethical Disclaimer

This tutorial is for educational and research purposes. Do not clone applications for commercial use. Focus on understanding code logic and learning rather than copying products.

Keep this summary

Save it to LunaNotes and it becomes a real note in your library — editable, searchable, and ready to turn into flashcards or a diagram. Free to start.

Save to LunaNotes

Or summarise for another video.

32K+ people have turned 65K+ videos into notes

“Very useful tool. I'm using it for the last couple weeks and I'm loving it so far. Makes learning on YouTube a great experience.”
Bhai Chrome Web Store review

This summary and transcript were automatically generated using AI with the Free YouTube transcript summary tool by LunaNotes.

Related summaries

Reverse Engineer Any App with AI: REA GitHub Tutorial

Reverse Engineer Any App with AI: REA GitHub Tutorial

Learn how to use REA (Reverse Engineer Anything), a 60,000-star GitHub repo, to clone any desktop, web, or mobile application with AI. This video demonstrates setting up REA with Claude and Hopper disassembler, and showcases a real-time clone of Whisper Flow—a voice-to-text app.

REA for Claude Code: Reverse Engineer Windows Apps Step-by-Step

REA for Claude Code: Reverse Engineer Windows Apps Step-by-Step

Learn how to use REA (Reverse Engineer Anything) with Claude Code to analyze Windows apps. This guide covers installation, real testing on open-source apps like Insomnia, TranslucentTB, and TextGrab, and reveals when REA adds value vs. when plain Claude Code works better.

Claude Full Masterclass 2025: The Complete Guide in Tamil

Claude Full Masterclass 2025: The Complete Guide in Tamil

This is a comprehensive masterclass on Anthropic's Claude AI ecosystem, covering Claude Chat, Claude Code, and the powerful Claude Works. The video explains how to master the entire Claude ecosystem, move from a current stage to 2x or 3x productivity, and use agentic tools without any coding knowledge. It includes a detailed guide on installation, setup, skills, connectors, and plugins, as well as advanced prompt engineering frameworks like CRISP.

Create Motion Graphics by Talking to AI: Claude + Remotion Tutorial

Create Motion Graphics by Talking to AI: Claude + Remotion Tutorial

Learn how to create motion graphics just by speaking to your computer using Claude Code and Remotion Studio. This comprehensive guide covers setup, prompting techniques, and real-world applications like animated data graphs and batch lower thirds.

Claude Code vs OpenAI Codex: Real AI Coding Tool Comparison

Claude Code vs OpenAI Codex: Real AI Coding Tool Comparison

Explore a hands-on comparison between Claude Code and OpenAI's Codex using a Python and Java auction app. Learn why mastering one AI coding tool beats chasing hype and how developer expertise remains crucial.

Found this summary useful?

Take it with you. One click puts it in your own LunaNotes library.

Save to LunaNotes

Start taking better notes today with LunaNotes