What Is bootstrap-reverse.sh? Understanding the Reverse-Skill Linux Bootstrapper

The bootstrap-reverse.sh script is the primary Linux and macOS bootstrapper for the reverse‑skill repository, automating the installation of reverse‑engineering tools, libraries, and MCP servers.

This shell script serves as the Unix counterpart to bootstrap-reverse.ps1, providing a unified entry point for setting up a complete reverse‑engineering development environment. According to the zhaoxuya520/reverse‑skill source code, it handles everything from platform detection to service orchestration through a declarative capability system.

Core Purpose and Architecture

The script's fundamental role is to translate human‑readable capability names into fully configured tooling. Rather than manually installing IDA Pro scripts, Frida bindings, or MCP servers, users declare what they need and the bootstrapper handles the rest.

At skills/scripts/bootstrap-reverse.sh lines 13‑15, the script defines its invocation pattern:

bash skills/scripts/bootstrap-reverse.sh <capability…> [options]

Key architectural components include:

• Platform detection (lines 34‑39): Identifies Darwin for macOS or Linux for Linux, with fallback to unknown
• Tool root management (lines 21‑28): Uses REVERSE_SKILL_TOOLS_DIR (defaulting to $HOME/tools) as the canonical install location with path validation
• Capability expansion (lines 83‑105): Automatically resolves dependencies—for example, requesting idapro expands to include idalib-mcp dependencies

Installation Methods and Package Managers

The bootstrapper abstracts multiple installation channels through dedicated helper functions. As implemented in the reverse‑skill codebase, it can:

# Install from system package managers

apt install <package>      # Debian/Ubuntu

brew install <formula>     # macOS

# Install from language-specific tools

pipx install <tool>
npm install -g <package>
pnpm add -g <package>
go install <tool>@latest

# Install from GitHub releases with asset pattern matching

install_github_release <owner/repo> <asset_regex> <version>

The GitHub release installer (lines 70‑78 and 100‑108) downloads platform‑appropriate binaries, extracts them to REVERSE_SKILL_TOOLS_DIR, and sets executable permissions.

MCP Server Registration and Service Management

Two flags control advanced behavior for AI assistant integration:

Flag	Purpose	Source Lines
--mcp-host=claude	Registers MCP servers for Claude Desktop	79‑98
--mcp-host=codex	Registers MCP servers for OpenAI Codex	79‑98
--mcp-host=both	Registers for both clients simultaneously	79‑98
--start-services	Launches background services and verifies HTTP endpoints	158‑176, 186‑202

The write_mcp_server function (lines 118‑130) generates JSON configuration files in the appropriate host-specific directories, enabling direct tool invocation from AI assistants.

Service startup (lines 158‑176) handles long‑running tools like anything-analyzer or the IDA Pro MCP bridge, including health checks against configured HTTP endpoints before marking installation complete.

Command Examples for Common Workflows

List all supported capabilities before installation:

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

Install foundational Android reverse‑engineering tools:

bash skills/scripts/bootstrap-reverse.sh jadx apktool frida

Install IDA Pro with full MCP integration and service autostart:

bash skills/scripts/bootstrap-reverse.sh idapro \
    --start-services \
    --mcp-host=both

Skip the tool index refresh for faster scripting:

bash skills/scripts/bootstrap-reverse.sh ghidra --skip-refresh

Result Reporting and Tool Index

Upon completion, the script emits structured JSON status for each capability (lines 346‑376):

• ready: Fully installed and operational
• manual-required: Requires user interaction (e.g., license activation)
• registration-required: MCP registration pending
• failed: Installation error with logged details

Unless --skip-refresh is specified, the bootstrapper invokes skills/scripts/refresh-tool-index.sh (lines 426‑440) to regenerate skills/tool-index.md, maintaining synchronized documentation of the environment state.

Related Files in the Reverse-Skill Ecosystem

File	Responsibility
skills/scripts/bootstrap-reverse.sh	Main bootstrapper (this article's subject)
skills/scripts/bootstrap-manifest.json	Declarative definitions of all capabilities, versions, and dependencies
skills/scripts/refresh-tool-index.sh	Documentation synchronizer
kali/scripts/bootstrap-reverse.sh	Kali Linux wrapper that delegates to the main script
skills/config/routing.json	Determines automatic bootstrap invocation contexts

Summary

• bootstrap-reverse.sh is the canonical Linux/macOS entry point for reverse‑skill environment setup
• It detects platform, expands dependencies, and installs via multiple package managers or GitHub releases
• MCP registration enables Claude and Codex to invoke installed tools directly
• Service management handles background processes with health verification
• The JSON result format supports automation and CI/CD integration

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between bootstrap-reverse.sh and bootstrap-reverse.ps1?

The .sh version targets Linux and macOS systems using Bash, while the .ps1 version serves Windows environments using PowerShell. Both consume the same bootstrap-manifest.json, ensuring capability parity across platforms.

Where does bootstrap-reverse.sh install tools by default?

Tools install to $HOME/tools unless overridden by the REVERSE_SKILL_TOOLS_DIR environment variable. The script validates this path against directory traversal attacks before use.

Can I use bootstrap-reverse.sh without registering MCP servers?

Yes. MCP registration is entirely optional. Omit the --mcp-host flag and the script performs only tool installation without touching Claude or Codex configuration files.

What happens if a service fails to start with --start-services?

The script logs the failure, marks the capability status as failed in the JSON output, and continues with remaining capabilities. Check the emitted status object or logs for specific endpoint verification failures.

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