Reverse engineering is the process of taking apart an object or system to understand how it works, with the goal of recreating it or creating a similar object with added enhancements. It is a process of examination only, and the original object or system is not modified, which would otherwise be re-engineering or restructuring. Reverse engineering can be used to learn how a product works, what it does, what components it has, estimate costs, identify potential patent infringement, and more. It can be performed from any stage of the product cycle, not necessarily from the functional end product.
Reverse engineering can be used for various purposes, including:
- Interfacing: When a system is required to interface with another system, reverse engineering can be used to establish how both systems would negotiate. Such requirements typically exist for interoperability.
- Military or commercial espionage: Learning about an enemys or competitors latest research by stealing or capturing a prototype and dismantling it may result in the development of a similar product or a better countermeasure against it.
- Copying technologies: Reverse engineering is often used by people to copy other nations technologies, devices, or information that have been obtained by regular troops in the fields or by espionage.
- Facilitating maintenance work: Reverse engineering can be used to improve the understandability of a system and produce the necessary documents for a legacy system.
Reverse engineering can be applied to various objects, including software, machines, aircraft, architectural structures, and other products. The process involves working backward through the original design process to determine how a part was designed so that it can be recreated. The reverse engineering process requires a series of steps to gather precise information on a products dimensions, and the data collected can be stored in digital archives. Reverse engineering can facilitate skill acquisition in any field and is especially useful for knowledge workers whose success depends on their ability to learn quickly.
