Boomerang vs Ghidra
Boomerang
github.comGhidra
github.comSide by side
| Figure | Boomerang | Ghidra |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| API | — | Yes |
| Self-hosted | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Spec score · Reverse Engineering Tools | 8.5 (#6) | 8.7 (#5) |
| Spec score · Decompiler Software | 8.6 (#4) | 8.8 (#3) |
| Build requirements | Building requires a 64-bit operating system and a C++17 compiler; 32-bit systems are not supported. | Source builds require JDK 25, Gradle 9.1.0 or newer, Python 3.9 through 3.15 and platform C/C++ build tools. |
| License | The repository describes Boomerang as BSD licensed. | The repository includes the Apache License, Version 2.0, which grants no-charge, royalty-free copyright and patent licenses subject to its terms. |
| Operating systems | The README documents build instructions for Linux, macOS, and Windows. | Official releases provide native components for Windows 10 or later x86-64 and Linux x86-64; macOS and additional ARM or BSD systems can use user-built native components. |
| Purpose | Boomerang is an open-source machine-code decompiler that attempts to turn executable files into high-level source code. | Ghidra is a software reverse engineering framework maintained by the NSA Research Directorate. |
Plans
In their own words
Boomerang
Boomerang is an open-source decompiler that translates supported machine-code binaries into C source code. It supports x86 (IA-32 only), PPC, and ST20 architectures, and accepts ELF, PE, DOS MZ, DOS/4GW LE, and Mach-O files. Users can run it as a command-line tool or a GUI application. The project describes its license as BSD, and the software is free. Build instructions cover Linux, macOS, and Windows, but compiling requires a 64-bit operating system and a C++17 compiler; 32-bit systems are not supported. Documented prerequisites include CMake, Qt5, Capstone, GNU bison, and GNU flex. Precompiled packages are available for release versions, although the project recommends building the development branch from source. Unit and regression tests are provided, but the README says the regression test suite cannot be built on Windows. The maker describes the release as intended for developers and experimenters and warns that large-binary decompilation may disappoint. Decompiled output does not recreate the original source file and may differ from it. The project directs users to its GitHub issue tracker for bug reports.
Ghidra
Ghidra is a software reverse engineering framework maintained by the NSA Research Directorate. It analyzes compiled code with tools for disassembly, assembly, decompilation, graphing and scripting, and supports many processor instruction sets and executable formats. The framework can operate interactively or in automated workflows, including work intended to address team and scale needs in complex reverse engineering. Users can write extensions and scripts in Java or Python. Development options include a GhidraDev plugin for Eclipse and support for script editing and module projects in Visual Studio Code. The project describes compiled-code analysis on Windows, macOS and Linux. Installation requires a 64-bit JDK 25 and an official multi-platform release archive. Ghidra is free under the Apache License, Version 2.0, whose terms grant no-charge, royalty-free copyright and patent licenses. The repository warns that some versions have known security vulnerabilities and directs users to security advisories. Its policy directs vulnerability reports to GitHub private vulnerability reporting rather than public issues.