# Kaitai Struct

> Turn documented binary layouts into reusable parsers for files and network packets. A .ksy specification can be inspected with visualizers and compiled to multiple languages, helping preserve reverse-engineered format knowledge in interoperable implementations.

- Type: Tool
- Targets: Binary · Firmware · Protocol
- Category: Binary analysis libraries
- Relationship: Foundation tool
- Sources reviewed: 2026-10-16
- Added to the catalog: 2026-10-16
- Original resource: <https://github.com/kaitai-io/kaitai_struct>
- Primary source: <https://github.com/kaitai-io/kaitai_struct/blob/5ca6630c7761d7f0d9c57fd8a4af1cc8adb75a6c/README.md>
- Catalog page: <https://awesomerea.org/resources/kaitai-struct/>
- Record JSON: <https://awesomerea.org/resources/kaitai-struct/record.json>
- Chinese version: [简体中文](https://awesomerea.org/zh/resources/kaitai-struct/index.md)

## Requirements & limits

- Provide a .ksy specification or adapt an existing format description; Kaitai generates parsers from that description rather than discovering unknown protocol semantics automatically.
- The stable 0.11 universal compiler runs on Linux, macOS and Windows with Java 8+; Java 21 LTS is recommended. Generated parsers also need the selected language's Kaitai runtime.
- Compiler and visualizer are GPL-3.0-or-later; runtimes have separate licenses, including MIT and Apache-2.0. Compiler licensing does not impose its license on input specifications or generated output.

## Primary sources

1. <https://github.com/kaitai-io/kaitai_struct/blob/5ca6630c7761d7f0d9c57fd8a4af1cc8adb75a6c/README.md>
2. <https://github.com/kaitai-io/kaitai_struct_compiler/blob/fd2594257834241455f27121ae1adf296bcf09b9/README.md>
3. <https://kaitai.io/>
4. <https://github.com/kaitai-io/kaitai_struct_compiler/releases/tag/0.11>

## More in Native binaries

- [GoReSym](https://awesomerea.org/resources/goresym/index.md) · Tool
- [rev.ng](https://awesomerea.org/resources/revng/index.md) · Tool
- [Rizin](https://awesomerea.org/resources/rizin/index.md) · Tool
- [Decompiler Explorer](https://awesomerea.org/resources/decompiler-explorer/index.md) · Tool
- [pwndbg](https://awesomerea.org/resources/pwndbg/index.md) · Tool
- [DynamoRIO](https://awesomerea.org/resources/dynamorio/index.md) · Tool

## About this entry

The description was reviewed against primary sources.
Original editorial content: MIT. Linked projects, papers and assets retain their own rights and licenses.