Supported Platforms for reverse-skill: Windows, Linux, and macOS Coverage

The reverse-skill framework supports Windows, Kali Linux, Ubuntu/Debian Linux, and macOS through a three-layer architecture that keeps core knowledge platform-agnostic while isolating OS-specific execution details to thin wrapper scripts.

The reverse-skill project implements a deliberate separation between knowledge, execution, and client layers. This design allows reverse engineering methodologies to remain identical across all supported platforms, with only installation paths and package managers changing between operating systems. According to the PLATFORMS.md documentation in the zhaoxuya520/reverse-skill repository, four primary platforms are fully supported with dedicated bootstrap paths.

Platform Support Matrix

Platform	Status	Primary Entry Point	Package Manager
Windows	Full primary path	README.md (PowerShell scripts)	winget, GitHub ZIP releases
Kali Linux	Full specialized path	kali/README-kali.md	apt (Kali-native repositories)
Ubuntu / Debian Linux	Supported generic path	docs/platforms/linux.md	apt, pipx, npm
macOS	Supported generic path	docs/platforms/macos.md	Homebrew, pipx, npm

The Windows path represents the original mainline implementation, while Linux and macOS support came later through the generic bootstrap architecture. Kali Linux receives special treatment due to its security-focused tool repositories and penetration testing workflow conventions.

Architectural Design for Cross-Platform Compatibility

The Three-Layer Model

The reverse-skill framework organizes its codebase to maximize portability:

• Core Knowledge Layer — Contains SKILL.md methodology files, RULES.md, routing.md, and the CTF-Sandbox-Orchestrator/ directory. These files never contain OS-specific paths or commands, making them importable unchanged on any host.

• Execution Layer — Houses platform-specific scripts that handle tool installation and environment setup. Windows uses skills/scripts/*.ps1 files; Linux and macOS use skills/scripts/*.sh; Kali has its own kali/scripts/*.sh variants with additional security tools.

• Client Layer — AI agents and IDE integrations (Claude Code, Codex CLI, Cursor, etc.) consume rules and invoke scripts through a uniform interface, remaining completely OS-agnostic.

What Actually Differs Between Platforms

The execution layer isolates only these variables:

• Package managers (winget vs apt vs brew)
• Script language (PowerShell .ps1 vs Bash .sh)
• Executable locations (C:\Program Files\... vs /usr/local/bin vs Homebrew cellar)
• Installation commands for Java, Node.js, Python, jadx, apktool, Frida, radare2, Ghidra, IDA Pro, Burp Suite, and other reverse engineering tools

This minimal surface area means adding a new platform requires only a thin wrapper script and a short mapping guide.

Bootstrapping Each Supported Platform

Generic Linux and macOS

Both Ubuntu/Debian and macOS share the same bootstrap entry points in skills/scripts/:

# Install core reverse engineering capabilities

bash skills/scripts/bootstrap-reverse.sh \
    jadx apktool frida \
    jshookmcp anything-analyzer

# Update the local tool index after installations

bash skills/scripts/refresh-tool-index.sh

The bootstrap-reverse.sh script detects the operating system and selects appropriate package managers automatically. The refresh-tool-index.sh script scans for installed binaries and generates skill/tool-index.* files used by the client layer.

Kali Linux Specialized Path

Kali Linux maintains dedicated scripts with expanded security tool coverage:

# List available capabilities in Kali layer

bash kali/scripts/bootstrap-reverse.sh --list

# Install Kali-native tools

bash kali/scripts/bootstrap-reverse.sh nmap nuclei ffuf

# Refresh tool index with Kali-specific paths

bash kali/scripts/refresh-tool-index.sh

The Kali-specific scripts in kali/scripts/ reference tools from Kali's own repositories rather than generic distribution packages.

Windows PowerShell Path

Windows uses native PowerShell scripts with winget integration:

# Install capabilities on Windows

.\skills\scripts\bootstrap-reverse.ps1 -Capabilities jadx,apktool,frida

# Refresh the Windows tool index

.\skills\scripts\refresh-tool-index.ps1

The Windows bootstrap also supports GitHub ZIP release installations when winget packages are unavailable.

Key Source Files by Platform

File	Platform	Purpose
skills/scripts/bootstrap-reverse.sh	Linux/macOS	Generic Bash bootstrap with OS detection
skills/scripts/refresh-tool-index.sh	Linux/macOS	Tool discovery and index generation
kali/scripts/bootstrap-reverse.sh	Kali Linux	Kali-native tool installation
kali/scripts/refresh-tool-index.sh	Kali Linux	Kali-specific index refresh
skills/scripts/bootstrap-reverse.ps1	Windows	PowerShell bootstrap with winget
skills/scripts/refresh-tool-index.ps1	Windows	Windows tool path discovery
docs/platforms/linux.md	Ubuntu/Debian	Platform setup documentation
docs/platforms/macos.md	macOS	Homebrew-specific instructions
kali/README-kali.md	Kali Linux	Specialized onboarding guide

All platforms ultimately consume the same RULES.md and routing definitions, ensuring methodology consistency regardless of underlying OS.

Tool Coverage Variations

The PLATFORMS.md documentation includes a detailed Tool coverage by platform table showing which reverse engineering tools have automated installation on each OS. Core tools like jadx, apktool, and Frida are available on all platforms, while platform-specific integrations (such as certain Windows debuggers or Kali-exclusive penetration testing tools) vary by target environment.

Summary

• reverse-skill supports four platforms: Windows, Kali Linux, Ubuntu/Debian Linux, and macOS
• Architecture separates platform-agnostic knowledge from OS-specific execution scripts, enabling consistent methodologies across all targets
• Windows uses PowerShell and winget as the primary path, with README.md as the entry point
• Linux and macOS share generic Bash scripts in skills/scripts/, with automatic OS detection
• Kali Linux has dedicated scripts in kali/scripts/ that leverage Kali-native repositories
• Adding new platforms requires only thin wrapper scripts due to the minimal execution surface area

Frequently Asked Questions

Does reverse-skill support ARM-based Macs?

Yes. The macOS generic path in docs/platforms/macos.md and skills/scripts/bootstrap-reverse.sh uses Homebrew, which automatically handles Apple Silicon (ARM64) and Intel (x86_64) architectures. The bootstrap script detects the architecture and installs appropriate binary builds without manual intervention.

Can I use reverse-skill on distributions other than Ubuntu/Debian or Kali?

The generic Linux path in skills/scripts/bootstrap-reverse.sh is designed for Debian-compatible distributions. For Arch, Fedora, or other distributions, you would need to modify the package manager commands in the bootstrap script or manually install the equivalent packages. The core knowledge layer remains fully compatible regardless of distribution.

What happens if a tool isn't available through the platform's package manager?

The bootstrap scripts support multiple installation methods. On Windows, they fall back to GitHub ZIP releases when winget lacks a package. On macOS and Linux, they can use pipx, npm, manual downloads, or prompt for manual installation with specific setup instructions. The refresh-tool-index.sh and refresh-tool-index.ps1 scripts then detect tools regardless of how they were installed.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "instagit": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "instagit@latest"]
    }
  }
}