Graph Mode
Visualizing control flow using a flowchart.
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Visualizing control flow using a flowchart.
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Graph Mode is a powerful tool for analyzing control flow. This mode allows us to visualize the control flow of a binary in a flowchart. This is useful for understanding how the binary works and how to solve challenges.
Graph Mode is not Visual Mode.
To enter Graph Mode, use the VV command (or V inside Visual Mode). Use q to leave Graph Mode.
There are 5 views in Graph Mode. These are:
Graph View - The main view that shows the flowchart.
Graph View + Opcodes - Graph View, showing the address of each instruction.
ESIL - Evaluable Strings Intermediate Language. This is a language that radare2 uses to emulate instructions.
ESIL + Comments - ESIL, showing the comments for each instruction.
Overview - Shows the offsets and primary function calls.
Although this guide doesn't cover ESIL (yet!), it can be a rather useful tool. It's pretty intuitive to understand, and it's useful for understanding how instructions work.
The most common view used is Graph View + Opcodes. Use the p shortcut to cycle through views, and P to cycle in reverse.
Graph Mode is very useful for understanding branching. Since Graph Mode can only show one function at a time, it can be annoying to traverse across several function calls. This tool is more useful for static analysis and reverse engineering.
Use the V command while inside Graph Mode to switch the Graph Mode layout. The other layout shows snippets of cross-references from the current function. This is less useful than the default layout, but it's still a useful tool to have.
Graph Mode's commands are a bit different from the other modes. These commands are:
- Shift the view around.
Tab - Move to the next node.
Ctrl + / Ctrl - - Zoom in/out.
g<identifier> - Seek to the given identifier.
u - Undo the last seek maneuver.
s/S - Step in/over the current instruction.
To view the help command window, use the ? shortcut.
