Open-source projects in File Formats that exist because someone reverse engineered a closed product. Most-starred: FFmpeg, ImHex, SheetJS, calibre, AssetStudio.
Search and filter this category →Spreadsheet toolkit reading XLS, XLSB, Lotus, Quattro Pro and many legacy formats
Office suite with import filters for reverse-engineered MS Office and other formats
Python tools to analyze MS OLE2 files and Office documents
Java API for Microsoft binary and OOXML Office formats
Python library for reading legacy Excel BIFF (.xls) files
Open-source web viewer and parser for Hancom HWP documents
Read Microsoft Access databases on Unix
Unpacks Amazon Kindle/Kindlegen MOBI/AZW3 ebooks
Extracts emails and attachments from Outlook .msg files
C# reader for Outlook .msg and .eml files without Outlook
Super-timeline tool with parsers for hundreds of Windows, macOS and app artifacts
Forensics framework with parsers for many proprietary disk, file system and artifact formats
Android Logs, Events and Protobuf Parser for app databases and artifacts
Fast, safe Rust parser for the Windows XML Event Log (EVTX) format
Pure Python parser for Windows XML Event Log (.evtx) files
Converts the Windows SRUM (System Resource Usage Monitor) database to spreadsheets
Plugin-based extraction of data from Windows registry hives
Rust parser and analyzer for the Microsoft minidump crash file format
Parses macOS .DS_Store files and extracts file names
Pure Python parser for Windows Registry hive files
Explore and extract Unity assets and assetbundles
Asset importer for 40+ 3D formats, including proprietary FBX, 3DS and Blender files
Unreal Engine archive (.pak/.utoc) explorer
Parse Photoshop PSD files in Ruby
GNU library to read and write Autodesk DWG CAD files
Python package for reading Adobe Photoshop PSD files
Single-file loader for Autodesk FBX files
Fast zero-dependency PSD parser for the web and Node.js
Lightweight open source FBX importer
C# parser for Unreal Engine 4/5 archives and assets
Unpacks and repacks Android adb backup (.ab) files
FUSE driver for reading Apple APFS volumes
FUSE driver to read/write BitLocker-encrypted volumes on Linux/macOS
Views and extracts the contents of Windows Installer (.msi) files
Read/write NTFS driver for Linux/macOS
Unpacks installers created by Inno Setup without running them
Free FUSE exFAT implementation, written before Microsoft published the spec
Linux kernel APFS module with experimental write support
Extracts CAB files from InstallShield installers
Library and tools to access Apple File System (APFS)
Music notation and tab rendering library that imports Guitar Pro 3-8 files
Open-source tablature editor with Guitar Pro and Power Tab importers
Guitar tablature editor that imports Power Tab and Guitar Pro files
Reads, writes and manipulates Guitar Pro GP3/GP4/GP5 tablature files
Java library for parsing Pioneer rekordbox export databases and track analysis files
Reverse engineered parsers for Ableton Live and FL Studio project files
Parser and editor for FL Studio project (.flp) files
Rust library for parsing Pioneer rekordbox device exports
Guitar Pro tablature player written in Rust
Tools for editing and analyzing Ableton Live sets
Ruby parser for MySQL InnoDB on-disk file formats
Python package to read/write SAS, SPSS and Stata files (wraps ReadStat)
C library and CLI for reading SAS, Stata and SPSS data files, including reverse-engineered SAS7BDAT
Ruby library for reading dBase, xBase, Clipper and FoxPro DBF files
Python library for reading dBase/FoxPro DBF files
C# parser that reads SQL Server MDF data files without SQL Server
Pure Java library for reading and writing Microsoft Access (.mdb/.accdb) databases
Converts FileMaker Pro databases (.fp5/.fp7/.fmp12) to open formats
Pure Python dBase/FoxPro DBF reader and writer
Python parser for Microsoft Access database files
Metadata reader/writer with extensive reverse-engineered camera maker notes
Library for decoding RAW files from hundreds of digital camera models
C++ image metadata library including proprietary maker note decoding
Converts camera RAW files to DNG with its own reverse-engineered decoders (Rust)
Fast camera RAW decoding library used by darktable
Processing app for Magic Lantern MLV raw video files
Reverse-engineered description of the Canon CR3 RAW file format
Tools to parse GPMF metadata from GoPro cameras
Rust library that parses records from DJI flight log .txt files
Parser for FLIR and DJI infrared camera radiometric image data
Hex editor for reverse engineers with a pattern language for binary formats
jq-like tool, language and decoders for inspecting binary formats
Declarative language to describe binary formats and generate parsers
Pattern files describing many binary file formats for ImHex
Library of .ksy descriptions of hundreds of binary file formats
Compiler that turns Kaitai Struct .ksy format descriptions into parsers for many languages
Extracts and decodes hundreds of legacy file, archive and image formats
Assembler/disassembler for Windows keyboard layout DLLs
Reverse-engineered Serum 2 synth preset format; converts to/from JSON
General approach for reverse-engineering Xilinx FPGA bitstream formats
Photoshop PSD parser for Node.js and browsers
JavaScript library for reading and writing Photoshop PSD files, including layers and effects
Lists and extracts content from Apple Assets.car compiled asset catalogs
Rust crate for parsing Photoshop PSD files and their layers
Converts Figma .fig files into Sketch documents by parsing the undocumented .fig format
Reverse engineered PureRef .pur file format library
PSD/PSB Photoshop file reader for Go
Unofficial Go parser for Adobe After Effects .aep project files
Library for reading the encrypted PaintTool SAI .sai file format
Python library for reading and writing Photoshop PSD and PSB files
Geospatial format library including the reverse-engineered OpenFileGDB and MapInfo drivers
GPS log and map viewer that reads Garmin IMG, OziExplorer, TrekBuddy and many other formats
Converts between many proprietary GPS formats (Garmin, Magellan, OziExplorer, TomTom)
GIS and trip-planning app that renders Garmin IMG vector maps and reads many GPS formats
Script and reverse-engineered spec for Esri File Geodatabase .gdbtable files
Tools to inspect, split, merge and unlock-free extract Garmin IMG map files
Android navigation app that reads OziExplorer ozf2/ozfx3 raster maps
Compiler that writes Garmin .img maps from OpenStreetMap data (reverse-engineered format)
Converter for Garmin QuickDraw Contours (QDC) files to CSV tables and GRD rasters
Python library for reading Lowrance SL2, SL3 and SLG sonar logs
Viewer for proprietary laptop/phone boardview files (.brd, .bdv, .fz and others)
Converts EasyEDA/LCSC component symbols, footprints and 3D models to KiCad
Converts Altium PCB and schematic files to KiCad
Converts EasyEDA schematics and PCB designs to KiCad
Browser-based parser and renderer for Altium SchDoc schematics
FOSS parser for Cadence OrCAD Capture binary design files
Converts Altium .SchDoc files to JSON
Web-based viewer for 14 boardview formats (BVR, BRD, BDV, FZ, GenCAD and more)
Rust library and CLI that reads and writes Altium SchDoc, PcbDoc, SchLib, PcbLib and IntLib
Extracts embedded 3D STEP models from Altium PCB files
E-book manager with readers for many proprietary formats (MOBI, LIT, LRF, PDB, KFX via plugin)
Standalone EPUB to Kobo KEPUB converter replicating Kobo's own conversion
C library for handling Kindle MOBI/AZW3/KF8 e-book formats
FB2 converter to EPUB, KEPUB and Kindle AZW8/KFX formats
Python library to unpack Kindle (kindlegen) e-books
Rust converter from EPUB to Kindle KFX, AZW3 and MOBI
Mirror of jhowell's calibre plugin that writes Kindle KFX books
Library for reading Mobipocket e-book files
Document Liberation library for legacy e-book formats (eReader, Plucker, TealDoc, LRF and more)
Multimedia framework with many reverse-engineered proprietary codecs and containers
Independent clean-room E-AC-3 JOC decoder in Rust, with OAMD metadata and reconstruction-basis decoding.
Reverse engineered aptX and aptX HD audio codec
Tool to identify MQA encoded audio via codec reverse engineering
Partial reverse engineering of the Samsung Seamless Codec (SSC) Bluetooth audio codec
Library for Blu-ray disc navigation, playlists and menus
Library for DVD-Video menu navigation
Library for reading DVD-Video discs and IFO structures
Library for decoding RAD Game Tools Smacker video files
Unofficial CLI to edit CapCut and JianYing project files
Python reader of LabVIEW RSRC files (VI, CTL, LLB)
Converts Cisco Packet Tracer .pka/.pkt files to XML
Viewer and parser for WinCC Flexible and TIA Portal data log files
Exports data from Samsung KIES backup (SBU) files
Extracts travel data from airline, rail and event tickets, including proprietary barcode formats
Reverse-engineered specification and parser for HBK Perception PNRF measurement files