decompile

name	decompile
description	Decompile a binary or assembly file to clean C++ code. Use when converting binaries, assembly, or Ghidra output to readable C++.

/decompile

Decompile binaries, assembly, or Ghidra output to clean C++ code.

Pipeline

/decompile <file>
     ↓
1. Python scripts run: Ghidra/RetDec decompile → parse & filter → parsed C
2. Agent refines parsed C into clean C++
3. Compile refined C++; feedback loop: fix errors, recompile until it builds
4. Final test: compare compiled C++ binary to original (objdump diff)

Usage

In chat: type /decompile <path> and send. The agent runs the full pipeline and replies in chat.

/decompile program              # Binary
/decompile program.s            # Assembly
/decompile ghidra_output.c      # Existing Ghidra C file

File location: If the agent is sandboxed (can't leave the repo), the user must put the file inside the repo or grant permission to access external paths.

Optional flags (usually not needed):

• -o DIR — output directory
• --no-validate — skip compile check
• --list-backends — show available decompilers (ghidra, retdec, llm)

Input Types

Input	Examples
Binary	program, program.elf, program.o
Assembly	program.s, program.asm
Ghidra C	*_decompiled.c

What the Agent Does

1. Run asm2cpp <input> — Python scripts run (extract, parse, validate); output parsed C to *_parsed.c
2. Refine that output into clean C++17:
   • Replace Ghidra types with standard types
   • Remove boilerplate, fix names, simplify control flow
   • Add headers, use std library where appropriate
3. Compile refined C++; on errors, fix and recompile (feedback loop) until it builds
4. Compare compiled C++ binary to original — use objdump on both

Type Conversions (Ghidra → C++)

Ghidra	C++
undefined8	uint64_t
undefined4	uint32_t
ulong	uint64_t
uint	uint32_t
byte	uint8_t

Code Cleanup Rules

• Replace PTR_, DAT_, LAB_ prefixes with readable names
• Convert goto-heavy code to loops/conditionals
• Use <cstdint>, <iostream>, etc. instead of raw types
• Add meaningful names for var1, param_1, etc.

Quick Start for the Agent

# 1. Ensure asm2cpp is available
if ! command -v asm2cpp &> /dev/null; then
  pip install -e .   # or: curl -LsSf <install.sh> | sh
fi

# 2. Run decompilation
asm2cpp <input> -o output

# 3. Refine parsed C to clean C++; compile; fix errors until it builds; compare binary to original

Limitations

• Ghidra required for binary decompilation (or RetDec)
• Sandbox: Put files inside the repo if the agent can't access external paths
• Obfuscated code may produce less readable results
• Cross-arch validation needs toolchains (e.g. gcc-riscv64-linux-gnu) for non-native targets

Supported Architectures

x86, x86_64, ARM, ARM64, RISC-V

Troubleshooting

Ghidra not found — Install: brew install ghidra (macOS) or use RetDec.

Output has 0 functions — Ghidra output must use // Function: name at 0x... format.

Won't compile — Fix includes, add stubs for unknown functions, replace Ghidra types per the table above.