IDAPython API Reference

IDAPython allows you to create custom scripts and plugins that enhance IDA’s core functionality. This reference documentation covers 50+ modules for disassembly manipulation, decompilation, debugging, and UI customization. You can explore the IDAPython API by navigating the modules below, or use the quick reference to jump straight to what you need.

Tip

Looking for a simpler, more Pythonic way to script IDA? The IDA Domain API provides a high-level, developer-friendly interface built on top of IDAPython. It’s designed from the ground up with modern Python best practices, offering:

• Cleaner syntax - Write less boilerplate, focus on reverse engineering tasks

• Better type hints - Enhanced IDE support with full type annotations

• Intuitive abstractions - Work directly with domain concepts like functions, types, and cross-references

• Full compatibility - Use alongside IDAPython; both APIs work seamlessly together

• Open source - Community-driven development with independent versioning

• Pure Python - No compilation required, works with modern Python versions

The Domain API doesn’t replace IDAPython—it complements it. Use Domain API for everyday scripting tasks and drop down to IDAPython when you need fine-grained control or access to advanced features.

Quick Reference by Task

Reading/Writing Bytes

• ida_bytes: get_byte, patch_byte, get_flags, get_strlit_contents

• idc: get_wide_byte, patch_byte, get_strlit_contents

Working with Functions

• ida_funcs: get_func, add_func, get_func_name, func_t

• ida_frame: get_frame, add_stkvar, get_spd

• idautils: Functions(), FuncItems()

Names and Labels

• ida_name: set_name, get_name, demangle_name

• idc: set_name, get_name

Segments

• ida_segment: get_segm_by_name, add_segm, segment_t

• idautils: Segments()

Cross-References

• ida_xref: add_cref, add_dref, get_first_cref_to

• idautils: XrefsTo(), XrefsFrom()

Types and Structures

• ida_typeinf: tinfo_t, get_idati, parse_decl

• ida_struct (deprecated — use ida_typeinf instead): get_struc, add_struc_member

Decompilation

• ida_hexrays: decompile, cfunc_t, citem_t, mba_t, Hexrays_Hooks

UI and Dialogs

• ida_kernwin: ask_yn, ask_str, Choose, action_handler_t, register_action

• ida_graph: GraphViewer

Debugging

• ida_dbg: run_to, step_into, get_reg_val, add_bpt

Search

• ida_search: find_binary, find_text

• idautils: Heads()

Module Reference

Essential (Start Here)

• idautils — High-level iteration: Functions(), Segments(), Heads(), XrefsTo(), XrefsFrom(), Names()

• idc — IDC compatibility layer: get_wide_byte, set_name, get_func_name, add_func

• ida_idaapi — Plugin base class, BADADDR, ea_t, plugin_t

• idaapi — Legacy compatibility module

Bytes and Flags

• ida_bytes — get_byte, patch_byte, get_flags, del_items, create_data, get_strlit_contents; flags64_t manipulation

• ida_nalt — Netnode altvals/supvals: get_aflags, set_aflags, refinfo_t

Functions

• ida_funcs — func_t, get_func, add_func, del_func, get_func_qty, set_func_cmt; use with ida_frame, ida_name

• ida_frame — Stack frames: get_frame, add_stkvar, get_spd

Names

• ida_name — set_name, get_name, get_name_ea, demangle_name, SN_* flags

• ida_entry — Entry points: add_entry, get_entry_qty, get_entry

Segments

• ida_segment — segment_t, get_segm_by_name, add_segm_ex, getseg, get_segm_qty

• ida_segregs — Segment registers: get_sreg, set_default_sreg_value

• ida_range — range_t base class for address ranges

Cross-References

• ida_xref — add_cref, add_dref, del_cref, get_first_cref_to, xrefblk_t; fl_* and dr_* constants

Search

• ida_search — find_binary, find_text, find_code, SEARCH_* flags

Decompiler (Hex-Rays)

• ida_hexrays — decompile, cfunc_t, citem_t, cexpr_t, cinsn_t, mba_t, minsn_t, lvar_t, Hexrays_Hooks, ctree_visitor_t

Types

• ida_typeinf — tinfo_t, parse_decl, get_idati, apply_tinfo, udt_type_data_t, func_type_data_t

UI

• ida_kernwin — ask_yn, ask_str, jumpto, refresh_idaview, Choose, simplecustviewer_t, action_handler_t, register_action, UI_Hooks

• ida_lines — generate_disasm_line, tag_remove, COLSTR, COLOR_*

• ida_graph — GraphViewer, set_node_info, get_graph_viewer

Debugging

• ida_dbg — run_to, step_into, step_over, get_reg_val, add_bpt, DBG_Hooks

• ida_idd — debugger_t, register_info_t, bpt_t

Instructions

• ida_ua — insn_t, op_t, decode_insn, create_insn, print_insn_mnem

• ida_idp — processor_t, ph (processor handle), IDP_Hooks

• ida_allins — Instruction opcodes (NN_*, ARM_*, etc.)

Database

• ida_netnode — netnode class for persistent storage: altval, supval, hashval

• ida_loader — load_file, save_database, snapshot_t

• ida_auto — auto_wait, plan_ea, AU_* queue constants

Analysis

• ida_problems — PR_* problem types, get_problem

• ida_offset — op_offset, get_offbase

• ida_fixup — fixup_data_t, set_fixup, get_fixup

• ida_libfuncs — apply_idasgn_to (FLIRT)

Lumina

• ida_lumina — calc_func_metadata, apply_metadata, score_metadata, backup_metadata, revert_metadata, get_server_connection, func_info_t, lumina_client_t

• lumina_model — High-level helpers: func_md_t, idb_md_t, differ_t

Utility

• ida_pro — qvector, qstring, ea_t, BADADDR

• ida_ida — idainfo (inf structure), cvar.inf

• ida_expr — idc_value_t, eval_idc_expr

• ida_strlist — string_info_t, get_strlist_qty

• ida_diskio — idadir, getsysfile

• ida_registry — reg_read_string, reg_write_string

Less Common

• ida_gdl — qflow_chart_t, GDL graph export

• ida_bitrange — bitrange_t for bit-level operations

• ida_tryblks — tryblk_t exception handling info

• ida_undo — perform_undo, create_undo_point

• ida_merge — Database merging

• ida_mergemod — Merge module interface

• ida_srclang — Source language detection

• ida_regfinder — Register value tracking

• ida_fpro — File operations

• ida_ieee — IEEE float conversion

• ida_dirtree — Folder organization

• ida_moves — Navigation history

• idadex — Extension utilities

• init — Initialization

Common Patterns

# Iterate all functions
for ea in idautils.Functions():
    name = idc.get_func_name(ea)

# Get xrefs to address
for xref in idautils.XrefsTo(ea):
    print(hex(xref.frm))

# Decompile function
cfunc = ida_hexrays.decompile(ea)
print(cfunc)

# Create action
class MyHandler(ida_kernwin.action_handler_t):
    def activate(self, ctx): ...
    def update(self, ctx): return ida_kernwin.AST_ENABLE_ALWAYS

Other Documentation Resources

Explore the Developer Guide in our Hex-Rays Documentation Hub:

• Cookbook: Check our examples library, which demonstrates practical implementation for the IDAPython API, complementing this reference. The samples include recent examples for working with types.

• Getting Started: If you’re new to IDAPython, we recommend starting with Getting Started with IDAPython. These docs introduce key concepts and help you begin exploring IDAPython’s capabilities.

• Migration Guide: Read our Porting Guide that streamlines the process of updating your current scripts and plugins to the latest version of IDAPython API, along with how-to examples.

• Release Notes: For a complete list of recent API changes, refer to the latest Release Notes.

• C++ SDK: For the native C++ SDK reference, see the C++ SDK documentation.

If you need further assistance, you can contact us or submit a request to our support team.