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name: idapython description: IDA Pro Python scripting for reverse engineering. Use when writing IDAPython scripts, analyzing binaries, working with IDA's API for disassembly, decompilation (Hex-Rays), type systems, cross-references, functions, segments, or any IDA database manipulation. Covers ida_* modules (50+), idautils iterators, and common patterns.

IDAPython

Use modern ida_* modules. Avoid legacy idc module.

Module Router

Task	Module	Key Items
Bytes/memory	ida_bytes	get_bytes, patch_bytes, get_flags, create_*
Functions	ida_funcs	func_t, get_func, add_func, get_func_name
Names	ida_name	set_name, get_name, demangle_name
Types	ida_typeinf	tinfo_t, apply_tinfo, parse_decl
Decompiler	ida_hexrays	decompile, cfunc_t, lvar_t, ctree visitor
Segments	ida_segment	segment_t, getseg, add_segm
Xrefs	ida_xref	xrefblk_t, add_cref, add_dref
Instructions	ida_ua	insn_t, op_t, decode_insn
Stack frames	ida_frame	get_frame, define_stkvar
Iteration	idautils	Functions(), Heads(), XrefsTo(), Strings()
UI/dialogs	ida_kernwin	msg, ask_*, jumpto, Choose
Database info	ida_ida	inf_get_*, inf_is_64bit()
Analysis	ida_auto	auto_wait, plan_and_wait
Flow graphs	ida_gdl	FlowChart, BasicBlock
Register tracking	ida_regfinder	find_reg_value, reg_value_info_t

Core Patterns

Iterate functions

for ea in idautils.Functions():
    name = ida_funcs.get_func_name(ea)
    func = ida_funcs.get_func(ea)

Iterate instructions in function

for head in idautils.FuncItems(func_ea):
    insn = ida_ua.insn_t()
    if ida_ua.decode_insn(insn, head):
        print(f"{head:#x}: {insn.itype}")

Cross-references

for xref in idautils.XrefsTo(ea):
    print(f"{xref.frm:#x} -> {xref.to:#x} type={xref.type}")

Read/write bytes

data = ida_bytes.get_bytes(ea, size)
ida_bytes.patch_bytes(ea, b"\x90\x90")

Names

name = ida_name.get_name(ea)
ida_name.set_name(ea, "new_name", ida_name.SN_NOCHECK)

Decompile function

cfunc = ida_hexrays.decompile(ea)
if cfunc:
    print(cfunc)  # pseudocode
    for lvar in cfunc.lvars:
        print(f"{lvar.name}: {lvar.type()}")

Walk ctree (decompiled AST)

class MyVisitor(ida_hexrays.ctree_visitor_t):
    def visit_expr(self, e):
        if e.op == ida_hexrays.cot_call:
            print(f"Call at {e.ea:#x}")
        return 0

cfunc = ida_hexrays.decompile(ea)
MyVisitor().apply_to(cfunc.body, None)

Apply type

tif = ida_typeinf.tinfo_t()
if ida_typeinf.parse_decl(tif, None, "int (*)(char *, int)", 0):
    ida_typeinf.apply_tinfo(ea, tif, ida_typeinf.TINFO_DEFINITE)

Create structure

udt = ida_typeinf.udt_type_data_t()
m = ida_typeinf.udm_t()
m.name = "field1"
m.type = ida_typeinf.tinfo_t(ida_typeinf.BTF_INT32)
m.offset = 0
m.size = 4
udt.push_back(m)
tif = ida_typeinf.tinfo_t()
tif.create_udt(udt, ida_typeinf.BTF_STRUCT)
tif.set_named_type(ida_typeinf.get_idati(), "MyStruct")

Strings list

for s in idautils.Strings():
    print(f"{s.ea:#x}: {str(s)}")

Wait for analysis

ida_auto.auto_wait()  # Block until autoanalysis completes

Key Constants

Constant	Value/Use
BADADDR	Invalid address sentinel
ida_name.SN_NOCHECK	Skip name validation
ida_typeinf.TINFO_DEFINITE	Force type application
o_reg, o_mem, o_imm, o_displ, o_near	Operand types
dt_byte, dt_word, dt_dword, dt_qword	Data types
fl_CF, fl_CN, fl_JF, fl_JN, fl_F	Code xref types
dr_R, dr_W, dr_O	Data xref types

Critical Rules

1. NEVER convert hex/decimal manually — use int_convert MCP tool
2. Wait for analysis: Call ida_auto.auto_wait() before reading results
3. Thread safety: IDA SDK calls must run on main thread (use @idasync)
4. 64-bit addresses: Always assume ea_t can be 64-bit

Anti-Patterns

Avoid	Do Instead
idc.* functions	Use ida_* modules
Hardcoded addresses	Use names, patterns, or xrefs
Manual hex conversion	Use int_convert tool
Blocking main thread	Use execute_sync() for long ops
Guessing at types	Derive from disassembly/decompilation

Detailed API Reference

For comprehensive documentation on any module, read docs/<module>.md:

• High-use: ida_bytes, ida_funcs, ida_hexrays, ida_typeinf, ida_name, idautils
• Medium-use: ida_segment, ida_xref, ida_ua, ida_frame, ida_kernwin
• Specialized: ida_dbg (debugger), ida_nalt (netnode storage), ida_regfinder (register tracking)

Full RST sources from hex-rays.com available at docs/<module>.rst.