BARF

At a glance

• Editor score
  3.8 / 10
• Pricing
  Free plan
• Best for
  Static x86 and ARM analysis, including ROP discovery
• Free plan
  Yes
• Paid from
  Free
• Decompiler
  No
• Facts checked
  24 Sep 2026

• Where it wins

  • Loads ELF, PE, and other binary formats for analysis
  • Recovers control-flow and call graphs and supports SMT constraint analysis
  • Searches, classifies, and verifies ROP gadgets

• Where it doesn't

  • Targets Ubuntu Linux, with Intel x86 and 32-bit ARM support
  • Focuses on static analysis and does not provide source-level decompilation
  • The project is described as under development

Our verdict on BARF

BARF is an open-source Python framework for scriptable binary analysis and reverse engineering. It is aimed at security and software analysts who want to inspect executable files and automate analysis tasks, particularly on Ubuntu Linux. Its documented architecture support covers Intel x86 in 32- and 64-bit forms and 32-bit ARM. The framework is self-hosted, and its BSD 2-Clause license makes it suited to teams that can work with source-available tools rather than a managed commercial service.

Its feature set connects several stages of static analysis: BARF loads ELF, PE, and other executable formats, disassembles supported instructions, and lifts them into the REIL intermediate language. It can then recover control-flow graphs and call graphs, while code-constraint analysis can use Z3 or CVC4 SMT solvers. ROP gadget search, classification, and verification add a more specialized security-analysis capability. An extensible plugin framework supports custom analysis components. That combination makes BARF more useful for scriptable, technical workflows than for users looking for a polished interactive decompiler; it does not provide source-level decompilation.

BARF is a narrow fit for buyers who need static binary analysis on its supported Linux and processor targets and are comfortable with a framework-based workflow. Its documented uses center on human-assisted analysis, with automation also supported. The project is described as under development, and the latest listed release is v0.6.0; Ubuntu 16.04 x86_64 is the listed tested environment. Organizations seeking broader platform coverage, dynamic analysis, firmware workflows, or source-level decompilation should consider another tool. For analysts focused on x86 or 32-bit ARM binaries and ROP discovery, BARF brings relevant analysis components together in a self-hosted package.

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BARF pricing

BARF fact sheet

BARF integrations

BARF lists 2 integrations on its own site.

• Z3
• CVC4

Alternatives to BARF

• GGhidraA broad, free toolkit for native-code and bytecode reverse engineering.9.4
• IDA ProA comprehensive native reverse-engineering suite with substantial annual licensing costs.9.2
• ImHexA desktop binary inspection workbench with editing, patterns, comparison, and disassembly.8.7

See all BARF alternatives →

Featured on iTechGuides

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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

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Last updated 7 Oct 2026 · How we research and update