GDB Python

2 min readDec 29, 2023

GDB (GNU Debugger) is a powerful tool for debugging programs, including those written in Python. It allows you to see what is happening inside a program while it executes or what the program was doing when it crashed.

Here’s a brief guide on how to use GDB with Python:

Compile Python with Debugging Symbols: To use GDB effectively with Python, you should have a version of Python compiled with debugging symbols. This often means you need to compile Python from the source with the appropriate flags.
Starting GDB: You start GDB with the command gdb python. This starts GDB and attaches it to the Python interpreter.
Running a Python Script: To run a Python script, use the run command in GDB, followed by the script name and any arguments it requires.
Setting Breakpoints: You can set breakpoints in your Python code to pause execution and inspect the program’s state. For example, b myscript.py:10 sets a breakpoint at line 10 of myscript.py.
Inspecting State: When your program hits a breakpoint, you can inspect the state of your program using various GDB commands. For example, print variable_name will print the value of a variable.
Continuing Execution: To continue the program’s execution after hitting a breakpoint, use the continue command.
Python-Specific Commands: GDB has some Python-specific commands when used with Python. For example, a py-list can list the Python source code, and py-up and py-down can navigate the stack.
Exiting GDB: You can exit GDB by typing quit.

Remember that debugging Python scripts with GDB can be more complex than debugging C/C++ programs, as Python is a high-level, interpreted language. It may require a deeper understanding of Python’s internals, especially when dealing with Python-specific data structures or runtime environments.

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