Install Reverse Engineer Anything (REA) in Cursor
Get the exact commands to connect REA 6.8.0 to Cursor. Your steps are below, ready to copy. The checklist is generated in your browser.
We have not recorded a hands-on test for Cursor yet. Commands follow REA's official docs.
Your setup steps
Official sources only: github.com/morluto/rea · rea.tools · npm rea-agents. REA 6.8.0. Legal use
REA 6.8.0 needs Node.js 22.x (22.23.4 or later), 24.x (24.22.1 or later) or 26.12.1 or later. Node.js 23, 25 and prereleases are not supported.
node -vMy version is too old
Install a supported release from nodejs.org or your version manager, open a new terminal, and run
node -vagain.REA uses the npm that comes with that Node.js and never upgrades Node.js for you.
Setup shows the exact files it will change and waits for your approval.
npx rea-agents setup --client cursorWhich files does setup change?
It adds an
reaentry to each selected agent's MCP configuration and, unless you turn it off, installs REA's workflow skill.Existing settings and other servers are kept, a backup is made, and nothing is written until you approve. Pressing Ctrl-C makes no changes.
Full details: Review setup changes.
Restart Cursor after setup finishes.
Check only the parts you use. Each command reads your setup without changing anything.
npx rea-agents doctor --client cursor --jsonWhat should I see?
A scoped report has
scope.mode: "explicit", andhealthy: truemeans the checks you asked for passed.If a check fails, follow the remediation in its output. Doctor checks files and prerequisites, not the live connection, so restart the agent after any fix.
More in Check readiness for your task.
Paste this into your agent and replace the path with your own.
I own this software or am authorized to analyze it. Use REA to analyze the Electron/JavaScript app at /absolute/path/to/app. Map its main modules, IPC channels and the code path behind the feature I describe next. Cite the file, location and hash for every claim, and list what you could not confirm.Legal use: Analyze only software you own or are authorized to examine. What REA can and can't do
Uninstall REA
Removes only REA's agent registrations and skill files. --purge-data also clears REA's cache in ~/.rea.
npx rea-agents uninstallnpx rea-agents uninstall --purge-dataSetup notes by OS and target with Cursor
Everything the wizard above can show, in one place.
Windows with Cursor
Run the commands in PowerShell.
npx rea-agents setup --client cursorNote: If PowerShell blocks npx, run the same command with npx.cmd.
For native programs, set the Ghidra paths with $env: instead of export:
Download Ghidra 12.1.x and install a 64-bit full JDK 21 or newer. REA connects to an existing installation; it does not install either one.
Then set these variables in the same terminal you will run setup from, so setup can find and save the verified paths:
$env:GHIDRA_INSTALL_DIR = "C:\path\to\ghidra_12.1.4_PUBLIC"
$env:JAVA_HOME = "C:\path\to\jdk-21"Heads up: Ghidra support on Windows is experimental and read-only. Windows scope
Heads up: Hopper is not available on Windows. Pick Ghidra or IDA instead.
macOS with Cursor
For native programs with Ghidra, export both paths in the terminal you run setup from:
Download Ghidra 12.1.x and install a 64-bit full JDK 21 or newer. REA connects to an existing installation; it does not install either one.
Then set these variables in the same terminal you will run setup from, so setup can find and save the verified paths:
export GHIDRA_INSTALL_DIR="/absolute/path/to/ghidra_12.1.4_PUBLIC"
export JAVA_HOME="/absolute/path/to/jdk-21"REA checks the JDK range declared by your Ghidra installation. It was verified with Ghidra 12.1.4 and JDK 21.
The JDK must match your CPU: on Apple silicon, an x86_64 JDK running under Rosetta fails the check.
More in REA's Ghidra guide.
Linux with Cursor
Note: On Linux, REA also needs a procps-compatible ps on its PATH (install procps or procps-ng). Details
Electron and JavaScript apps
No extra tools are needed beyond Node.js and npm. You can also run a static analysis straight from the terminal, without an agent:
npx -y rea-agents@latest analyze-javascript-application /absolute/path/to/app --jsonAndroid APKs
APK analysis runs JADX headless and needs a full JDK. Install both from their official sources; REA does not install them for you.
For decoded resources (manifest, strings, locales), also install Apktool.
See REA's Android guide and Apktool guide.
Native programs with Hopper
If Hopper is already installed, setup reuses it. If not, setup can propose installing the official Hopper package and asks for a separate approval first.
Legal use: Hopper is commercial software with its own license. Its free demo has vendor-defined limits; use only a license you obtained legally.
macOS 12+ and x86_64 Linux. See REA's Hopper guide.
Native programs with IDA
Install IDA yourself, then follow REA's IDA guide to connect it.
Legal use: IDA is commercial software. REA grants no license or key; use only a license you obtained legally.
Where REA lives in Cursor
Setup adds a mcpServers.rea entry to ~/.cursor/mcp.json. Cursor also reads a project-level .cursor/mcp.json; REA setup writes the global file.
REA's client id for Cursor is cursor, which is the value used in --client cursor. Restart Cursor after setup finishes.
Cursor tips
- Cursor is a desktop app, so it can inherit a different
PATHthan your terminal. Ifdoctorpasses in the terminal but Cursor cannot start REA, open Cursor’s MCP error output and check the registered launcher. - To refresh an older registration, preview
npx rea-agents setup --client cursor --skill=false --dry-run, run it again without--dry-run, approve, and restart Cursor. - A project-level
.cursor/mcp.jsononly applies inside that project. Setup registers REA globally, so it is available in every workspace.
Sources
Configuration details last checked 2026-10-26.