Reverse engineering

[dimpy.handa]

Reverse engineering (RE) is the process of taking something (a device, an electrical component, a software program, etc.) apart and analyzing its workings in detail, and after that to reconstruct a new device/program/etc. that does the same thing, without actually copying anything from the original. The verb form is to reverse-engineer, spelled with a hyphen.
Reverse-engineering is commonly done to avoid copyrights on desired functionality, and may be used for avoiding patent law, though this is a bit risky: patents apply to the functionality, not a specific implementation of it.

Reverse-engineering things (like software) for the purposes of interoperability (i.e. supporting file formats etc.) is mostly believed to be legal, though patent owners often aggressively pursue their patents.

 

[swatiraohnlu]

Reverse engineering is very common in such diverse fields as software engineering, entertainment, automotive, consumer products, microchips, chemicals, electronics, and mechanical designs. For example, when a new machine comes to market, competing manufacturers may buy one machine and disassemble it to learn how it was built and how it works.