


Reverse-engineering can be used to learn how something works and to recreate the object or to create a similar object with added enhancements. There are a variety of reasons to do this. The purpose of reverse-engineering is to find out how an object or system works. What is the purpose of reverse-engineering? No matter how the knowledge is used or what it relates to, reverse-engineering is the process of gaining that knowledge from a finished object. Program language statements are used to turn the machine code back into the original source code.ĭepending on the technology, the knowledge gained during reverse-engineering can be used to repurpose obsolete objects, do a security analysis, gain a competitive advantage or simply to teach someone about how something works. Software reverse-engineering focuses on a program's machine code - the string of 0s and 1s that are sent to the logic processor. The practice of reverse-engineering as applied to computer hardware and software is taken from older industries. Many things can be reverse-engineered, including software, physical machines, military technology and even biological functions related to how genes work. It is done primarily to analyze and gain knowledge about the way something works but often is used to duplicate or enhance the object. Reverse-engineering is the act of dismantling an object to see how it works. Ben Lutkevich, Technical Features Writer.
