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Introduction ​

Reverse engineering, in the context of software engineering, is the process of deconstructing a program to understand its architecture, functionality, and original design.

Reverse engineering is a very broad topic that is predominantly made up of logical thinking, however, there are many techniques and shortcuts that can be used when reversing Minecraft, with two core methods that summarize the topic:

  • Static Analysis
  • Dynamic Analysis

Both of these methods will be covered and used within this section to define data structures and classes or find functions and analyze their behavior.

It is subjective which method you prefer to use, and neither is better than the other, though they both have their use cases. This topic will aim to describe both static and dynamic analysis as thoroughly as possible, including scenarios where one method is more suitable.

NOTE

Reverse engineering is sometimes shortened to reversing, or just R.E.

Static Analysis ​

Static analysis is the process of reverse engineering a program's code without executing it.

We can statically analyze Minecraft: Bedrock Edition by using a disassembler to convert its compiled machine code back into human-readable assembly, and inspecting the code.

NOTE

As MCBE is compiled from C++ directly into machine code that runs natively on the system, it is impossible to decompile its code back to source code.

There are many disassemblers that provide an environment for static analysis. We recommend IDA Pro for its robust feature set, wide use in the Bedrock native modding community, and use within this wiki.

NOTE

It is not guaranteed that the IDA Freeware distribution will provide every feature used in this wiki. We strongly suggest that you use IDA Pro.

Keep in mind, static analysis is not just analyzing a disassembly. There are many other resources and tools that can be used to reverse engineer Minecraft: Bedrock Edition statically, some of which will be covered.

Dynamic Analysis ​

Dynamic analysis is the process of examining a program's behavior while it is executing.

There are many tools that can be used to perform dynamic analysis, for example:

  • ReClass.NET: A tool mainly used to map data structures in memory
  • Cheat Engine: A program featuring a robust set of dynamic analysis tools, namely, a memory scanner and debugger

Again, it is subjective what tools you use. Every tool has its own use case; feel free to use one tool or a variety of programs you see fit.