De-decompiler Pro Free: Tips and Tricks for .NET Reverse Engineering
De-decompiler Pro Free: A Powerful Tool to Reverse Engineer .NET Code
Have you ever wondered how a .NET application works under the hood? Have you ever wanted to modify or improve an existing .NET assembly without having access to its source code? Have you ever needed to debug or analyze a third-party .NET library or executable? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you might be interested in learning more about De-decompiler Pro Free, a free .NET decompiler and assembly browser by JetBrains.
De-decompiler Pro Free
In this article, we will explain what De-decompiler Pro Free is, how to use it, what are its advantages and limitations, and answer some frequently asked questions. By the end of this article, you will have a better understanding of how De-decompiler Pro Free can help you reverse engineer .NET code and gain insights into its functionality and structure.
What is De-decompiler Pro Free?
De-decompiler Pro Free is a free-of-charge standalone tool that can reliably decompile any .NET assembly into equivalent C# or IL code. It can also perform as a symbol server and supply Visual Studio debugger with the information required to debug assembly code. It is based on ReSharper's bundled decompiler, which is part of dotUltimate, a single license that allows a single developer to use several JetBrains tools for .NET and Visual Studio development.
A brief introduction to decompilation and its benefits
Decompilation is the process of transforming binary executable files (such as .dll, .exe, or .winmd) into human-readable source code (such as C#, VB.NET, or IL). Decompilation can be useful for various purposes, such as:
Recovering lost or damaged source code from legacy assemblies
Understanding how an application or library works internally
Modifying or enhancing an existing assembly without having access to its source code
Debugging or analyzing a third-party assembly for errors or vulnerabilities
Learning from other developers' code and techniques
However, decompilation is not always a straightforward or legal process. There are some challenges and risks involved, such as:
Decompiled code may not be identical or equivalent to the original source code, due to optimizations, obfuscations, or encryption techniques applied by the compiler or the developer
Decompiled code may not be compilable or executable, due to missing dependencies, references, or resources
Decompiled code may violate the intellectual property rights or license agreements of the original developer or vendor
Decompiled code may contain malicious or harmful code that can compromise the security or performance of your system
Therefore, before using a decompiler, you should always check the legality and ethics of decompiling a specific assembly, and use caution and common sense when working with decompiled code.
The main features of De-decompiler Pro Free
De-decompiler Pro Free is a powerful and versatile tool that can help you decompile any .NET assembly into C# or IL code. Some of the main features of De-decompiler Pro Free are:
It can decompile .NET Framework, .NET Core, .NET Standard, and .NET 5 assemblies
It can decompile assemblies from any platform, such as Windows, Linux, macOS, Android, iOS, and UWP
It can decompile assemblies from any format, such as .dll, .exe, .winmd, .nupkg, and .zip
It can decompile assemblies from any language, such as C#, VB.NET, F#, C++/CLI, and others
It can decompile assemblies to C# 1.0 - 9.0 or IL code
It can export decompiled code to Visual Studio projects or plain text files
It can download source code and debug information from symbol servers or NuGet packages
It can perform as a symbol server and supply Visual Studio debugger with the information required to debug assembly code
It can show the structure and metadata of assemblies in a tree view
It can navigate and search in decompiled code using various filters and options
It can highlight syntax and references in decompiled code
It can show comments and XML documentation in decompiled code
It can show IL instructions and IL bytecode in decompiled code
It can show PDB information and sequence points in decompiled code
It can show local variable names and types in decompiled code
It can show compiler-generated code and attributes in decompiled code
It can show lambda expressions and anonymous methods in decompiled code
It can show async/await methods and state machines in decompiled code
It can show LINQ queries and expressions in decompiled code
It can show interpolated strings and string.Format calls in decompiled code
It can show nullable reference types and null checks in decompiled code
It can show pattern matching and switch expressions in decompiled code
It can show records and init-only properties in decompiled code
It can show target-typed new expressions and covariant returns in decompiled code
It can show top-level statements and global usings in decompiled code
How to download and install De-decompiler Pro Free
To download and install De-decompiler Pro Free, you need to follow these simple steps:
Go to the official website of De-decompiler Pro Free: https://www.jetbrains.com/decompiler/
Click on the "Download" button to download the latest version of De-decompiler Pro Free for your operating system (Windows, Linux, or macOS)
Run the installer file and follow the instructions to install De-decompiler Pro Free on your system. You can choose the installation directory, create shortcuts, and associate file extensions with De-decompiler Pro Free during the installation process.
Launch De-decompiler Pro Free from the Start menu (Windows), Applications folder (macOS), or command line (Linux). You will see the main window of De-decompiler Pro Free with a welcome screen.
How to use De-decompiler Pro Free?
How to open and analyze a .NET assembly
To open and analyze a .NET assembly using De-decompiler Pro Free, you need to follow these simple steps:</ - Drag and drop the assembly file (such as .dll, .exe, or .winmd) from your file explorer to the main window of De-decompiler Pro Free. Alternatively, you can click on the "Open" button on the toolbar and browse to the assembly file on your system. - Wait for De-decompiler Pro Free to load and analyze the assembly file. You will see the assembly name and version on the title bar, and the assembly structure and metadata on the left panel. - Expand the nodes on the left panel to see the namespaces, types, members, and resources of the assembly. You can also use the search box on the top left corner to find a specific item by name or keyword. - Select an item on the left panel to see its decompiled code on the right panel. You can switch between C# and IL code by clicking on the "C#" or "IL" buttons on the toolbar. You can also adjust the formatting and decompilation options by clicking on the "Settings" button on the toolbar. - To see more information about an item, such as its attributes, references, XML documentation, IL instructions, or PDB information, you can use the tabs on the bottom right corner of the right panel. How to decompile a .NET assembly to C# or IL code
To decompile a .NET assembly to C# or IL code using De-decompiler Pro Free, you need to follow these simple steps:
Open and analyze a .NET assembly as described in the previous section.
Select an item on the left panel that you want to decompile, such as a namespace, type, member, or resource.
Click on the "Decompile" button on the toolbar to decompile the selected item to C# or IL code. You can also right-click on the item and choose "Decompile" from the context menu.
Wait for De-decompiler Pro Free to generate and display the decompiled code on the right panel. You can switch between C# and IL code by clicking on the "C#" or "IL" buttons on the toolbar.
To copy or save the decompiled code, you can use the "Copy" or "Save As" buttons on the toolbar. You can also right-click on the code and choose "Copy" or "Save As" from the context menu.
How to export decompiled code to Visual Studio projects
To export decompiled code to Visual Studio projects using De-decompiler Pro Free, you need to follow these simple steps:
Open and analyze a .NET assembly as described in the previous section.
Select an item on the left panel that you want to export, such as a namespace, type, member, or resource.
Click on the "Export" button on the toolbar to export the selected item to a Visual Studio project. You can also right-click on the item and choose "Export" from the context menu.
Choose a project type (such as Class Library, Console Application, or Windows Forms Application) and a target framework (such as .NET Framework 4.8, .NET Core 3.1, or .NET 5) from the drop-down menus.
Choose a destination folder for your project and enter a project name.
Click on the "OK" button to create and save your project.
Open your project in Visual Studio and make any necessary modifications or additions to your code.
How to download source code and debug third-party code
To download source code and debug third-party code using De-decompiler Pro Free, you need to follow these simple steps:
Open and analyze a .NET assembly as described in the previous section.
Select an item on the left panel that you want to download or debug, such as a type or member.
Click on the "Download" button on the toolbar to download the source code and debug information for the selected item from a symbol server or a NuGet package. You can also right-click on the item and choose "Download" from the context menu.
Wait for De-decompiler Pro Free to download and display the source code and debug information on the right panel. You can switch between C# and IL code by clicking on the "C#" or "IL" buttons on the toolbar.
To debug the downloaded code, you need to have Visual Studio installed on your system and configure De-decompiler Pro Free as a symbol server. To do that, you need to follow these steps:
Go to the "Settings" menu on the toolbar and choose "Symbol Server Settings".
Check the box that says "Enable symbol server functionality".
Copy the URL that appears in the text box below the checkbox.
Open Visual Studio and go to Tools > Options > Debugging > Symbols.
Click on the "New" button and paste the URL that you copied from De-decompiler Pro Free.
Click on the "OK" button to save your settings.
To start debugging, you need to attach Visual Studio debugger to the process that runs the assembly that you want to debug. To do that, you need to follow these steps:
Open Visual Studio and go to Debug > Attach to Process.
Select the process that runs the assembly that you want to debug from the list of available processes.
Click on the "Attach" button to attach Visual Studio debugger to the process.
To set breakpoints, step into code, watch variables, and perform other debugging actions, you can use Visual Studio's debugging tools as usual. You will see the source code and debug information from De-decompiler Pro Free in Visual Studio's code editor and debugger windows.
How to navigate and search in decompiled code
To navigate and search in decompiled code using De-decompiler Pro Free, you can use various filters and options available on the toolbar and the context menu. Some of the navigation and search features of De-decompiler Pro Free are:
You can use the search box on the top left corner of the main window to find an item by name or keyword. You can also use wildcards (*) or regular expressions (/) in your search query.
You can use the drop-down menu next to the search box to filter your search results by type (such as class, interface, enum, delegate, etc.), member (such as method, property, field, event, etc.), or resource (such as image, icon, string, etc.).
You can use the "Go To" button on the toolbar to jump to a specific item by its full name or signature. You can also use Ctrl+G keyboard shortcut for this feature.
You can use the "Back" and "Forward" buttons on the toolbar to navigate through your browsing history. You can also use Alt+Left Arrow and Alt+Right Arrow keyboard shortcuts for this feature.
You can use the "Up" button on the toolbar to go to the parent item of the current item. You can also use Alt+Up Arrow keyboard shortcut for this feature.
You can use the "Home" button on the toolbar to go to the root item of the current assembly. You can also use Alt+Home keyboard shortcut for this feature.
You can use the "Find Usages" button on the toolbar to find all the usages of the current item in the assembly. You can also right-click on the item and choose "Find Usages" from the context menu. You can also use Shift+F12 keyboard shortcut for this feature.
You can use the "Find Derived Types" button on the toolbar to find all the types that inherit from the current type in the assembly. You can also right-click on the type and choose "Find Derived Types" from the context menu. You can also use Ctrl+Alt+B keyboard shortcut for this feature.
You can use the "Find Implementations" button on the toolbar to find all the types or members that implement the current interface or abstract member in the assembly. You can also right-click on the interface or abstract member and choose "Find Implementations" from the context menu. You can also use Ctrl+Alt+F keyboard shortcut for this feature.
You can use the "Go To Declaration" button on the toolbar to go to the declaration of the current item in the assembly. You can also right-click on the item and choose "Go To Declaration" from the context menu. You can also use F12 keyboard shortcut for this feature.
You can use the "Go To Base Type" button on the toolbar to go to the base type of the current type in the assembly. You can also right-click on the type and choose "Go To Base Type" from the context menu. You can also use Ctrl+U keyboard shortcut for this feature.
You can use the "Go To Overridden Member" button on the toolbar to go to the overridden member of the current member in the assembly. You can also right-click on the member and choose "Go To Overridden Member" from the context menu. You can also use Ctrl+O keyboard shortcut for this feature.
You can use the "Go To Definition" button on the toolbar to go to the definition of the current item in the assembly. You can also right-click on the item and choose "Go To Definition" from the context menu. You can also use Ctrl+Click or Ctrl+F12 keyboard shortcuts for this feature.
You can use the "Go To Type" button on the toolbar to go to the type of the current item in the assembly. You can also right-click on the item and choose "Go To Type" from the context menu. You can also use Ctrl+T keyboard shortcut for this feature.
You can use the "Go To Member" button on the toolbar to go to the member of the current item in the assembly. You can also right-click on the item and choose "Go To Member" from the context menu. You can also use Ctrl+M keyboard shortcut for this feature.
You can use the "Go To Resource" button on the toolbar to go to the resource of the current item in the assembly. You can also right-click on the item and choose "Go To Resource" from the context menu. You can also use Ctrl+R keyboard shortcut for this feature.
What are the advantages of De-decompiler Pro Free?
De-decompiler Pro Free is a free-of-charge standalone tool that offers many advantages over other .NET decompilers and assembly browsers. Some of the advantages of De-decompiler Pro Free are:
It is free of charge and easy to use
De-decompiler Pro Free is a free tool that does not require any registration, activation, or subscription. You can download and install it on your system without any hassle or cost. You can also use it without any limitations or restrictions on the number of assemblies, files, or projects that you can decompile or export.
De-decompiler Pro Free has a simple and intuitive user interface that allows you to easily open, analyze, decompile, export, download, and debug .NET assemblies. It has a toolbar with buttons for common actions, a left panel with a tree view of assembly structure and metadata, a right panel with decompiled code and information tabs, and a status bar with progress and messages.
It is based on ReSharper's bundled decompiler and inherits its features
De-decompiler Pro Free is based on ReSharper's bundled decompiler, which is part of dotUltimate, a single license that allows a single developer to use several JetBrains tools for .NET and Visual Studio development. ReSharper is a popular extension for Visual Studio that provides code analysis, refactoring, navigation, testing, debugging, and other features for .NET developers.
By using ReSharper's bundled decompiler as its core engine, De-decompiler Pro Free inherits many of its features and capabilities, such as:
It supports all versions and platforms of .NET assemblies
It supports all formats and languages of .NET assemblies
It supports all features and syntaxes of C# and IL code
It provides accurate and complete decompilation results
It preserves comments and XML documentation in decompiled code
It shows compiler-generated code and attributes in decompiled code
It shows advanced language features in decompiled code
It formats and indents decompiled code according to your preferences
It highlights syntax and references in decompiled code
It shows IL instructions and IL bytecode in decompiled code
It shows PDB information and sequence points in decompiled code
It shows local variable names and types in decompiled code
It supports multiple formats and languages
De-decompiler Pro Free supports multiple formats and languages of .NET assemblies, such as:
FormatDescription
.dllA dynamic-link library file that contains reusable code or resources for .NET applications.
.exeAn executable file that contains entry point or main method for .NET applications.
.winmdA Windows Metadata file that contains definitions of Windows Runtime types for .NET applications.
.nupkgA NuGet package file that contains compiled code or resources for .NET applications..zipA compressed file that contains one or more .NET assemblies or other files.
LanguageDescription
C#A modern, object-oriented, and multi-paradigm programming language for .NET development.
VB.NETA simple, structured, and event-driven programming language for .NET development.
F#A functional, imperative, and object-oriented programming language for .NET development.
C++/CLIA variant of C++ th