Workflow: Querying with the Query Tab

Overview

The Query tab provides an interactive chat for asking questions about the binary. This workflow covers basic queries, context macros, MCP tool integration, and the ReAct autonomous agent.

When to Use the Query Tab

You have specific questions about a function or code pattern
You need to compare multiple functions or trace data flows
You want the LLM to investigate something across the binary using tools
You're looking for vulnerabilities, backdoors, or specific behavior
You need to understand how a function relates to the broader binary

Basic Query Workflow

Step 1: Navigate to a Function

Navigate to the function of interest in IDA. The Current Offset display updates to show the address.

You can also right-click in the Disassembly or Pseudocode view and select Ask About Selection (Ctrl+Shift+Q) to open the Query tab with #func pre-filled.

Step 2: Compose Your Query

Type your question in the input area. Use context macros to include code from IDA:

Macro	Inserts
`#func`	Current function's pseudocode or disassembly
`#addr`	Address under the cursor (e.g., `0x401234`)
`#line`	Current disassembly line
`#range(0x401000, 0x401100)`	Disassembly for an address range

Example queries:

What does this function do? #func

Is there a use-after-free at #addr?

What calling convention does this use? #line

Compare these two code blocks:
Block 1: #range(0x401000, 0x401050)
Block 2: #range(0x402000, 0x402050)

Step 3: Submit and Review

Press Enter (or click Submit) to send the query. The response streams into the display area. Use Ctrl+Enter to insert a newline without submitting.

Step 4: Follow Up

Continue the conversation in the same chat session. The LLM retains context from previous messages, so you can ask follow-up questions without repeating context:

What about the error handling path?
Could this be exploited if the input is user-controlled?

Step 5: Manage Conversations

New — Start a fresh conversation
Delete — Remove selected conversations
Double-click a chat's description to rename it
Click any previous chat in the history table to reload it

MCP Tool Integration Workflow

Enable the MCP checkbox to let the LLM invoke tools during response generation.

When to Use MCP

Questions that require inspecting multiple functions
Tracing data flows across the call graph
Looking up cross-references or function signatures
Any question where the LLM would benefit from gathering more information

How It Works

Check the MCP checkbox
Submit your query
The LLM analyzes your question and decides which tools to call
Tool calls and results appear inline in the conversation
The LLM incorporates tool results into its final answer

Available built-in tools:

Tool	What It Does
`decompile_function`	Get Hex-Rays decompiled pseudocode
`get_disassembly`	Get disassembly listing for a function
`get_xrefs`	Get cross-references to/from an address
`navigate_to`	Move IDA cursor to an address
`rename_function`	Rename a function
`rename_variable`	Rename a local variable
`get_function_list`	List functions in the binary
`get_strings`	Get string references
`graph_query`	Query the semantic knowledge graph
`search_graph`	Full-text search the knowledge graph

External MCP servers configured in Settings provide additional tools.

ReAct Agent Workflow

The ReAct (Reasoning + Acting) agent performs autonomous multi-round investigations.

When to Use ReAct

Complex questions requiring exploration of multiple functions
Vulnerability hunting across the binary
Understanding data flow between distant functions
Questions where you don't know which functions are relevant

Enabling ReAct

Check the ReAct Agent checkbox (this also requires MCP)
Submit your query
The agent begins its investigation cycle

Investigation Process

The agent follows a structured cycle:

Plan — Reads your question and plans what to investigate
Investigate — Calls tools to inspect functions, read code, trace xrefs
Reflect — Evaluates what it found and decides if more investigation is needed
Repeat — If more information is needed, the agent loops back to step 2
Synthesize — Produces a comprehensive answer incorporating all findings

Progress is visible in the chat as the agent works. Each tool call and intermediate reasoning step appears in the conversation.

Stopping the Agent

Click Stop at any time to halt the investigation. The agent will produce a summary of what it found so far.

Extended Thinking

Configure reasoning depth in the Settings tab:

Level	Token Budget	Best For
None	Disabled	Quick, straightforward questions
Low	~2K tokens	Simple analysis tasks
Medium	~10K tokens	Moderate complexity, multi-step reasoning
High	~25K tokens	Deep analysis, complex vulnerability assessment

Higher thinking budgets produce more thorough responses but take longer. Extended thinking is supported by Anthropic Claude and OpenAI o1 models.

Tips for Effective Queries

Be specific: "What buffer overflow vulnerabilities exist in this function?" is better than "Is this secure?"
Use context macros: Always include #func when asking about a specific function so the LLM can see the code
Build on previous answers: The LLM remembers the conversation history, so reference earlier responses
Combine RAG + MCP: Enable both for the most informed responses — RAG provides document context while MCP provides live binary inspection
Use ReAct for exploration: When you don't know what to look for, let the agent explore
Save important chats: Rename conversations with descriptive titles for easy retrieval later

Query Tab Reference — Full UI element reference
Explain Workflow — Systematic function analysis
Semantic Graph Workflow — Build a knowledge graph
RAG Tab — Upload reference documents
Settings Tab — Configure providers, reasoning effort, MCP servers

IDAssist · Query Workflow