You can visualize the actual execution of software at a very low level using the "graph views" built into "binary code analysis tools" (decompilers/disassembler

You can visualize the actual execution of software at a very low level using the "graph views" built into "binary code analysis tools" (decompilers/disassemblers) like IDA Pro, Ghidra, and Radare2. Many of these tools can generate absolutely HUGE graphs showing the control flow of raw assembly, though they're frequently so large that they're more overwhelming than helpful. Hence why most of the time they are used to generate graphs of small and complex sub-sections of software. Here are some example images showing control-flow graphs by different disassemblers/binary code analysis tools: [0] Ghidra control flow graph, relatively zoomed in: https://i.stack.imgur.com/eYEVh.png https://i.stack.imgur.com/eYEVh.png Taken from this stackoverflow: https://reverseengineering.stackexchange.com/a/20792 https://reverseengineering.stackexchange.com/a/20792 [1] Radare2 showing control flow graphs in ascii in the terminal: https://monosource.gitbooks.io/radare2-explorations/content/intro/visual_graphs.html https://monosource.gitbooks.io/radare2-explorations/content/... [2] IDA Pro control flow graph, relatively large and zoomed out: https://i.stack.imgur.com/cjZBP.png https://i.stack.imgur.com/cjZBP.png From this stackexchange: https://reverseengineering.stackexchange.com/q/15847 https://reverseengineering.stackexchange.com/q/15847 [3] Defcon talk by Chris Domas where they demonstrated automate code generation which would cause various binary code analysis tools to generate control-flow graphs which formed specific shapes, shapes meant to offend or demoralize researchers examining the code (quite entertaining): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HlUe0TUHOIc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HlUe0TUHOIc