There is no reliable way to decompile Move bytecode (assembly) back into high-level Move source code. While you can use the sui move disassemble command to view the low-level bytecode of a published module, this output is not equivalent to the original source and cannot be automatically converted back into readable or compilable Move code. The disassembled output lacks function names, comments, and structural context, making reverse engineering difficult and error-prone. For debugging or auditing, rely on published source code or use Sui's object and event inspection tools instead.

Currently, there isn’t a direct tool or widely-used method to decompile Move assembly code (the bytecode) back to Move source code in the same way you might decompile languages like Solidity back to readable code. However, you can still approach this problem with a few strategies:

1. Using Move's Built-in Tooling (Sui / Move CLI)

The Move CLI provides some utilities for inspecting Move bytecode, but these won’t give you the original Move source code. They can, however, help you analyze the bytecode’s structure:

• Disassemble: You can use move disassemble or tools like move bytecode to see the bytecode instructions.
• Move CLI: The Sui Move SDK and Move CLI provide commands for inspecting bytecode, but these typically give you more of a low-level view, not the original source code.

Note: This approach requires interpreting bytecode manually and understanding how Move operates at the lower level.

2. Manual Reverse Engineering

If you are dealing with Move bytecode, you can reverse-engineer the logic by carefully inspecting the assembly-style code output from the Move disassembler. The move disassemble command will give you the bytecode, and from there, you could try to match patterns of the bytecode with the Move language constructs.

• Pattern Matching: Identify high-level constructs in the bytecode (like function calls, global states) and try to map them back to the equivalent Move source structures.
• Compare with Similar Contracts: Comparing the bytecode with known patterns or similar contracts can give you clues to reconstruct the original logic.

3. Decompilers / Custom Tools

As of now, Move does not have a fully functional decompiler that automatically converts bytecode to readable Move code (like the way some tools do for Ethereum bytecode).

• Potential Future Tools: Keep an eye on developments in the Move ecosystem or third-party tools. The Move community could create better decompilers in the future, but currently, there isn't one available.
• Community Projects: Some researchers or developers may experiment with tools to decompile or reverse-engineer Move code, and these might emerge over time.

4. Manual Refactoring

If you already have the bytecode and need to rewrite the contract, a practical approach might be to manually refactor the bytecode back into readable Move code based on your understanding of how Move works.

In summary:

• There’s no complete decompiler for Move yet.
• You can disassemble the bytecode using Move’s built-in tools to understand it at a low level.
• Reverse engineering is possible but requires manual inspection and an understanding of Move's structure.

If you're dealing with a specific bytecode or module and want help analyzing or refactoring it, feel free to share details!

There is currently no official tool that fully decompiles Move bytecode or Move assembly back into high-level Move source code. The Move Prover and Move IR tools can help analyze bytecode, but they don't produce readable source code directly. Move Bytecode Viewer can disassemble modules for inspection, but not reconstruct full original logic. Decompilation is difficult because high-level constructs like variable names and comments are lost in compilation. You can partially reverse-engineer logic by studying disassembled opcodes and understanding the Move VM semantics. Writing a custom parser to map bytecode to known patterns in your codebase can help, but it's labor-intensive. Source-level debugging tools are improving, but not yet at parity with traditional languages. To prepare for such needs, always retain your source code and version history. For critical contracts, consider formal verification to supplement code recovery strategies. Active development in the Move ecosystem may produce better tooling in the future.

There currently isn’t a fully reliable way to decompile Move bytecode or assembly back into original high-level Move source code. Once a Move module is compiled into bytecode (or Move IR / assembly), it loses much of the original structure, comments, and naming—just like in other compiled languages (e.g., Rust, Solidity). That said, there are a few tools and strategies you can use to inspect or partially reverse-engineer Move bytecode for learning or debugging purposes.

✅ Current Tools You Can Use

1. move-disassembler (from Move CLI) You can use the official move-disassembler tool to turn .mv bytecode files into human-readable Move Assembly Language (Move IR):

move disassemble <path_to_mv_file>

This gives you the disassembled view of a module, but not full source code—more like a lower-level instruction set similar to EVM opcodes.

2. move bytecode-viewer (experimental) There’s a bytecode viewer in some versions of the Move CLI that helps you understand function structure, types, and storage.

3. Sui Explorer or On-chain Viewer Tools On Sui, you can inspect on-chain published modules (including function names, types, and structure) using:

• Sui Explorer
• OtterScan for Sui (coming soon in some ecosystems)

These won’t give you source code, but they expose all the public-facing module structure.

🛠️ Limitations and Best Practices

• Decompiled IR ≠ Original Move Source – The process is not reversible. Variable names, comments, and some logic structures are lost during compilation.
• You can’t “undo” compilation — just like in Solidity, once it’s compiled and published, you can only analyze the structure and logic.
• If you control the deployment, always keep the .move files alongside your .mv files for transparency.

🔗 Learn More

• Official Move disassembler docs: https://github.com/move-language/move/tree/main/language/tools/move-disassembler
• Sui bytecode viewer CLI: https://docs.sui.io/build/move/disassemble

There is currently no official tool that fully decompiles Move bytecode or Move assembly back into high-level Move source code. The Move Prover and Move IR tools can help analyze bytecode, but they don't produce readable source code directly. Move Bytecode Viewer can disassemble modules for inspection, but not reconstruct full original logic. Decompilation is difficult because high-level constructs like variable names and comments are lost in compilation. You can partially reverse-engineer logic by studying disassembled opcodes and understanding the Move VM semantics. Writing a custom parser to map bytecode to known patterns in your codebase can help, but it's labor-intensive. Source-level debugging tools are improving, but not yet at parity with traditional languages. To prepare for such needs, always retain your source code and version history. For critical contracts, consider formal verification to supplement code recovery strategies. Active development in the Move ecosystem may produce better tooling in the future.