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The Binary Ninja C++ API provides a powerful interface for binary analysis, reverse engineering, and creating custom plugins. This API gives you direct access to Binary Ninja’s core functionality including binary views, functions, architectures, intermediate languages, and type systems.

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Getting Started

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Installation

The C++ API is available in the binaryninjaapi repository: 
git clone https://github.com/Vector35/binaryninjaapi.git
cd binaryninjaapi

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Basic Example

Here’s a simple program that opens a binary and displays basic information: 
#include "binaryninjaapi.h"
#include <iostream>

using namespace BinaryNinja;
using namespace std;

int main(int argc, char* argv[]) {
    // Initialize Binary Ninja plugins
    SetBundledPluginDirectory(GetBundledPluginDirectory());
    InitPlugins();

    // Load the binary
    Ref<BinaryView> bv = BinaryNinja::Load(argv[1]);
    if (!bv || bv->GetTypeName() == "Raw") {
        cerr << "Failed to load executable" << endl;
        return -1;
    }

    // Display basic information
    cout << "Type: " << bv->GetTypeName() << endl;
    cout << "Entry Point: 0x" << hex << bv->GetEntryPoint() << endl;
    cout << "Platform: " << bv->GetDefaultPlatform()->GetName() << endl;

    // Iterate through functions
    for (auto func : bv->GetAnalysisFunctionList()) {
        cout << "Function: " << func->GetSymbol()->GetFullName() 
             << " at 0x" << hex << func->GetStart() << endl;
    }

    // Clean up
    bv->GetFile()->Close();
    BNShutdown();
    return 0;
}
See the bin-info example for the complete source.

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Core Namespace

All C++ API classes are in the BinaryNinja namespace: 
namespace BinaryNinja {
    class BinaryView;
    class Function;
    class Architecture;
    class Type;
    class LowLevelILFunction;
    class MediumLevelILFunction;
    class HighLevelILFunction;
    // ... and many more
}

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Reference Counting

Binary Ninja uses reference-counted smart pointers for memory management. The Ref<T> template provides automatic reference counting: 
Ref<BinaryView> bv = BinaryNinja::Load("binary.exe");
Ref<Function> func = bv->GetAnalysisFunction(0x401000);

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RefCountObject Base Class

Most API objects inherit from RefCountObject: 
class RefCountObject {
public:
    std::atomic<int> m_refs;
    RefCountObject() : m_refs(0) {}
    virtual ~RefCountObject() {}

    void AddRef();
    void Release();
};
The Ref<T> smart pointer automatically calls AddRef() and Release() to manage object lifetimes.

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CMake Integration

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Building a Plugin

Create a CMakeLists.txt file for your project: 
cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.15 FATAL_ERROR)

project(my_plugin CXX C)

add_executable(${PROJECT_NAME} src/main.cpp)

# Find the Binary Ninja API
find_path(
    BN_API_PATH
    NAMES binaryninjaapi.h
    HINTS ../binaryninjaapi $ENV{BN_API_PATH}
    REQUIRED
)
add_subdirectory(${BN_API_PATH} api)

target_link_libraries(${PROJECT_NAME} binaryninjaapi)

if(NOT WIN32)
    target_link_libraries(${PROJECT_NAME} dl)
endif()

set_target_properties(${PROJECT_NAME} PROPERTIES
    CXX_STANDARD 20
    CXX_STANDARD_REQUIRED ON
    POSITION_INDEPENDENT_CODE ON
)

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Build Requirements

  • C++ Standard: C++20 or later
  • CMake: Version 3.15 or later
  • Compiler: GCC, Clang, or MSVC with C++20 support
  • Binary Ninja: Installation or core library

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Building

mkdir build && cd build
cmake ..
make

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Key Components

The C++ API is organized into several key areas:

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Binary Analysis

  • BinaryView - Main interface for analyzing binary files
  • Function - Represents functions and their properties
  • Architecture - CPU architecture definitions and operations

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Type System

  • Type - Type definitions and type analysis
  • Structure - Structured type definitions
  • Enumeration - Enumeration type definitions

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Intermediate Languages

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Supporting Classes

  • BasicBlock - Code basic blocks
  • Symbol - Symbol information
  • Platform - Platform/OS definitions
  • CallingConvention - Function calling conventions

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Initialization and Cleanup

All Binary Ninja programs must initialize the plugin system and clean up properly: 
int main() {
    // Initialize plugins (required)
    SetBundledPluginDirectory(GetBundledPluginDirectory());
    InitPlugins();

    // Your code here
    // ...

    // Shutdown (required for clean exit)
    BNShutdown();
    return 0;
}

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Examples

The Binary Ninja API repository includes several complete examples:

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Next Steps

BinaryView

Learn about loading and analyzing binary files

Function

Working with functions and control flow

Architecture

CPU architecture support and disassembly

IL (Intermediate Language)

Analyze code using Binary Ninja’s IL

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Resources

Build docs developers (and LLMs) love

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