I Tested the Viral Reverse Engineer Anything Skill | Complete Masterclass

I Tested the Viral Reverse Engineer Anything Skill | Complete Masterclass

In this video, I'm breaking down REA (Reverse Engineer Anything), the GitHub repo that crossed 2 lakh stars in a few weeks and that everyone on X says can clone any app. I set it up from zero in Claude Code and use it on a real Mac app, MindNode, so you see what it actually does, how long it takes and what it costs, not just the hype.

I walk you step by step through installing REA, the Claude settings it needs (browser tools, bypass permissions, computer use, keep awake), what Hopper and Ghidra do, and how REA's MCP server loads into a new session. Then I run a full MindNode rebuild with up to 8 Haiku and Opus sub-agents and test the result live. This breakdown will show you how app reverse engineering with AI really works — shifting your mindset from 'AI can clone any app in one prompt' to 'study one feature at a time, with the right tools and a plan for your limits.'

🔗 Resources & Useful Links

• REA (Reverse Engineer Anything) on GitHub: https://github.com/morluto/rea
• REA setup command: npx rea-agents setup
• Ghidra (free, open source): https://ghidra-sre.org
• Hopper Disassembler: https://www.hopperapp.com
• Claude Code: https://claude.com/claude-code
• MindNode (the app used for the test): https://www.mindnode.com

📘 Timestamps 00:00:00 – Introduction/Demo 00:00:33 – Disclaimer: Your Moat Is Not the Code 00:02:09 – The MindNode Clone in Action 00:04:28 – How REA Works in Simple Words 00:06:53 – REA vs ArtCraft's Clean-Room Approach 00:08:02 – Installing REA in Claude Code 00:09:59 – Claude Settings: Browser, Permissions, Keep Awake 00:11:54 – Turning On Computer Use 00:13:04 – What Hopper and Ghidra Actually Do 00:15:53 – Hopper vs Ghidra Compared 00:17:32 – What REA Can Read Before and After 00:20:19 – First REA Run on Obsidian 00:21:03 – Where REA's MCP Tools Show Up 00:24:24 – The MindNode Rebuild Prompt and Sub-Agents 00:26:35 – Hopper Demo Expires, Switching to Ghidra 00:29:50 – Parallel Sub-Agents and Ghidra Analysis 00:30:35 – Timeouts, Limits and Cloning One Feature 00:33:42 – How Much Usage It Really Takes 00:34:18 – My Screen Recording Method Instead 00:37:29 – Is REA Worth the Hype 00:39:20 – Testing the MindNode Clone 00:42:49 – Ghidra Analysis Results 00:44:03 – Outro/Conclusion

📌 What this video covers Here's what you'll learn in this video:

• What REA is and why it went viral on GitHub and X
• How to install REA in Claude Code and get its MCP tools into a session
• The exact Claude settings for browser control, permissions and computer use
• What decompilers do, and when to pick Hopper or Ghidra
• How to brief Claude to rebuild an app with Haiku 5.5 and Opus 5.5 sub-agents
• Why full-app clones time out and burn usage, and why one feature at a time works better
• My own frame-by-frame screen recording method for studying any app
• A live test of the MindNode clone: nodes, themes, fonts, highlights and PNG export

🚀 Tools & Stack Mentioned AI: Claude Code, Claude Desktop, Claude Opus 5.5, Claude Haiku 5.5, Whisper Reverse engineering: REA (Reverse Engineer Anything), Ghidra, Hopper Disassembler Browser automation: Puppeteer, Playwright Apps used: MindNode, Obsidian, Cursor, Electron

🎯 This is perfect for:

• Non-coders who saw "clone any app" posts on X and want to see what it really takes
• Claude Code users who want to add an MCP server like REA and use computer use safely
• Indie founders who want to study how a competitor's feature works before building their own
• Developers curious about Ghidra and Hopper but who have never opened a decompiler
• Anyone on a Claude Pro or Max plan deciding whether a long reverse-engineering run is worth the usage

Reverse engineering is a powerful way to learn how great software is built, but the code was never your moat. Use REA to study, understand one feature deeply, and then build something that is truly yours with better distribution, support and UX.

👋 WHO AM I?

I'm Vivek Mishra — a performance marketing expert and trainer. I work with service-based and e-commerce brands and teach practical skills around marketing, AI tools, and digital systems. E