Simplify

The Simplify option in ByteHide Shield enables additional code transformations that convert your original JavaScript into forms that are more compact and harder to understand, while still maintaining the same functionality.

How It Works

When enabled, the Simplify option applies various transformations to your code:

1. Control Statement Optimization: Transforms complex control statements into more concise forms
2. Expression Merging: Combines multiple expressions into single expressions using the comma operator
3. Statement Combination: Merges multiple statements where possible
4. Conditional Simplification: Transforms conditionals into more compact forms
5. Return Statement Optimization: Combines statements with returns

These transformations make the code more difficult to reverse engineer by obscuring the original logic flow while keeping the same behavior.

Configuration

{
  "simplify": true  // Default value is true
}

Transformation Examples

Control Flow Simplification

Original code:

if (condition1) {
    const foo = 1;
    const bar = 2;
  
    console.log(foo);
  
    return bar;
} else if (condition2) {
    console.log(1);
    console.log(2);
    console.log(3);
  
    return 4;
} else {
    return 5;
}

Simplified code:

if (condition1) {
    const foo = 0x1, bar = 0x2;
    return console['log'](foo), bar;
} else
    return condition2 ? (console['log'](0x1), console['log'](0x2), console['log'](0x3), 0x4) : 0x5;

Loop Simplification

Original code:

let result = 0;
for (let i = 0; i < 10; i++) {
    result += i;
    console.log(`Current sum: ${result}`);
}
return result;

Simplified code:

let result = 0;
for (let i = 0; i < 10; result += i, console['log'](`Current sum: ${result}`), i++);
return result;

Impact and Considerations

Performance

The Simplify transformation generally has a minimal impact on runtime performance. In some cases, it might even slightly improve performance by reducing code size and simplifying execution paths.

Debugging

Simplified code can be more challenging to debug since:

• Line numbers may not match the original source
• Original code structure is lost
• Combined statements make it harder to set breakpoints

When debugging is important, consider:

• Using source maps
• Disabling this option during development

Compatibility

The Simplify option is highly compatible with modern JavaScript environments:

• Works in all major browsers
• Compatible with Node.js
• Works with various JavaScript frameworks and libraries

Future Enhancements

In future releases of ByteHide Shield, the Simplify option will include additional transformations, such as the conversion of boolean literals (e.g., true will be transformed to !![]).

When to Use

The Simplify option is recommended for:

• Production builds where code readability is not a concern
• Applications where you want to make reverse engineering more difficult
• Situations where slightly reducing code size is beneficial

When to Avoid

Consider disabling this option when:

• Debugging is a priority and source maps aren't sufficient
• Working with code that relies on specific formatting or structure
• You need to maintain exact line numbers from the original source

Combining with Other Protections

Simplify works well with other ByteHide Shield protections:

• Control Flow Flattening: Apply simplification before flow flattening for more complex transformations
• String Array: Helps simplify code after string literals have been extracted
• Dead Code Injection: Makes injected dead code more difficult to identify

Example Configuration

{
  "simplify": true,
  "controlFlowFlattening": true,
  "stringArray": true,
  "deadCodeInjection": true
}

By enabling the Simplify option along with other protections, you can significantly increase the complexity and difficulty of reverse engineering your code.