Decompiling modern MetaTrader 4 (EX4) files into source code (MQ4) is technically difficult and often yields incomplete results. Modern files (Build 600+) are highly optimized, removing human-readable comments and logic. Available GitHub Resources

Forum discussions sometimes debate whether decompilation can lead to jail time. The consensus is that decompilation typically falls under civil law (copyright infringement) rather than criminal law. As one forum participant noted: “You can only go to jail for breaking criminal law, not civil law. It’s the difference between ‘being prosecuted’ and ‘being sued’”. However, this distinction does not diminish the legal risks—copyright holders can and do pursue legal action against those who decompile their software without permission.

Instead of risking your computer's security on broken GitHub tools, use these legitimate approaches to get the code you need. 1. Rebuild the Logic (Clean Room Reverse Engineering)

To help you secure your MetaTrader setup or explore rebuilding your logic, what (e.g., indicator, grid EA, scalper) are you trying to recover? Share public link

— Ensure you own the copyright or have explicit permission from the copyright holder.

— All developer comments and documentation are removed during compilation and cannot be recovered

In the world of MetaTrader 4 (MT4) trading automation, the file extensions .ex4 and .mq4 are fundamental. The .mq4 file is the source code – written in MQL4 – which you can edit, improve, and compile. The .ex4 file is the compiled, executable version that MT4 actually runs. It is binary, unreadable to humans, and not meant to be edited.

Modern MT4 builds use advanced obfuscation. Decompiling these often results in:

Requirements often include: construct , bitstring , pycrypto .

Many decompilation resources originate from Chinese-speaking communities. For example, a repository on GitCode provides an EX4反编译MQ4 tool described as being “downloaded from a forum” and tested on MT4 platforms with good results. The repository explicitly states it is “for research purposes only” and advises users to respect intellectual property rights.

There are several reasons to decompile EX4 files back to MQ4:

Python or C++ scripts that output random errors or dummy code.

If you are trying to recover or recreate a specific trading strategy, let me know: What does the EA use? Do you have any original log files or documentation for it?