reverse engineer
Deduce from product
To reverse engineer something is to take it apart—physically or conceptually—to understand how it was made or how it works.
Engineers reverse engineer competitors' products to learn their design secrets.
Software developers reverse engineer code to understand undocumented systems.
The process works backward from finished product to underlying principles: They reverse engineered the malware to identify its origin.
Produce something anew
- reproduceCopy or breed
- duplicateExact replica of original
- copyIdentical reproduction made
- cloneGenetically identical organism
emulate · reconstruct · rebuild · reassemble · mirror · simulate · model · decompile
Separate into parts
- deconstructAnalyze by breaking down
- decodeConvert from cipher
- dissectCut open to examine
- teardownDeliberate structure removal
examine · inspect · investigate · scrutinize · understand · decipher · unravel · diagram
recreate
Produce something anew
clone · emulate · reconstruct · rebuild · reassemble · mirror · simulate · model · decompile · reimplement
disassemble
Separate into parts
- deconstructAnalyze by breaking down
- decodeConvert from cipher
- dissectCut open to examine
teardown · examine · inspect · investigate · scrutinize · understand · decipher · unravel · diagram · schematic
prototype
First functional specimen
- designPurposeful creative planning
- inventionNew device or method
- breakthroughSudden important advance
discover · pioneer · hack · repurpose · improve · iterate · modify · optimize · enhance · refine
- security professionalssecurity analyst, security consultant, security researcher, security guard, security officer
reverse engineerdocument
Written or electronic file
specify · open-source · disclose · license
reverse, engineer, reversed, reverses, reversing, reversal, reversible, irreversible, reversibility