What is Decompiler Explorer (dogbolt.org)?

Updated

Decompiler Explorer is a free online tool that takes a compiled binary and shows you the C-like output produced by many different decompilers side by side. If you want to compare how Ghidra, Hex-Rays, BinaryNinja, RetDec, and others interpret the same machine code, this is the fastest way to do it without installing each tool locally. It works on uploaded binaries under 2MB, or on a set of built-in sample files.

What it does

The core idea is simple: decompilers disagree. Given the same executable, each one reconstructs different variable names, control flow, and type information. Decompiler Explorer runs your binary through a whole panel of them and lays the results out for direct comparison.

The decompilers listed on the site are:

  • angr
  • BinaryNinja
  • Boomerang
  • dewolf
  • Ghidra
  • Hex-Rays
  • Kuna
  • RecStudio
  • Reko
  • Relyze
  • RetDec
  • rev.ng
  • Snowman

Each one produces its own C-like rendering of the disassembled logic, so you can see where they agree and where one recovers structure the others miss.

How to use it

  1. Upload a file — the binary must be smaller than 2MB. Uploaded binaries are retained, so don't submit anything sensitive.
  2. Or pick a sample — the site provides preloaded binaries if you just want to explore. These include:
    • A CTF Challenge on x86 Linux
    • Hello World on Arm Linux
    • Megatest Decompiler Test Binary: arm64 FreeBSD
    • Megatest Decompiler Test Binary: arm64 macOS
    • Megatest Decompiler Test Binary: x86 Windows
    • Ping6 on x86_64 Linux
    • VTables on x86 Windows
    • Yet Another x86 Linux CTF Challenge
  3. Compare the output — the decompiled results appear for each supported decompiler, letting you judge which one handles your target best.

When it's useful

  • Choosing a decompiler: If you're deciding which tool to buy or learn, run a representative binary through all of them first.
  • CTF and reverse engineering: The sample set is CTF-oriented, and the comparison view helps when one decompiler produces confusing output and another clarifies it.
  • Cross-checking results: When a single decompiler gives you something that looks wrong, seeing a second or third opinion can confirm or refute it.
  • Architecture coverage: The samples span x86, x86_64, arm64, Linux, Windows, macOS, and FreeBSD, so you can test how tools handle different platforms.

Limitations to keep in mind

  • 2MB upload cap — larger binaries won't work.
  • Retention — uploaded binaries are retained, so treat it as a public-ish service and avoid proprietary or sensitive files.
  • No pricing information is provided on the site, so the tool itself is presented as an interactive online service without stated cost details.

Open source

Decompiler Explorer is open source and can be forked on GitHub, so you can inspect how it works or run your own instance if you need to handle binaries you can't upload publicly.