GDB-Driver-for-Java: A Java repository from Teoneag

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Java tool designed to facilitate debugging of native applications using GDB from within a JVM environment.

By Teodor Neagoe

Getting Started

0. Prerequisites

Os: Windows
Debugger + Compiler: GDB + GCC (MinGW) for the C language
Java version: 22
Simple CLI library - for now, it is not published, but you can
1. clone the repository from here
2. publish it to your local maven repository

1. Clone the repository

git clone https://github.com/Teoneag/GDB-Driver

2. Build & run

./gradlew run -q --console=plain

Or you can use IntelliJ IDEA to run it. (open the project and run the Main class)

3. Run commands

By default, it has everything set up, and you can run it. But here is a normal flow:

See all the available commands

help

Set the path to the GDB compiler

init C:\MinGW\bin

Test the debugger

test

Compile a file

comp res\file_1.c

Load the compiled file

load res\file_1.exe

Set a breakpoint

break file_1.c 13

Run the debugger

start

As you can see, the debugger stopped at the breakpoint. By default, it showed the backtrace, then it resumed the execution. But you may want to manually handle breakpoints. You can do that by

Set the breakpoint handler to manual

handle manual

Now you can test it again

start

Now you are inside the breakpoint. You can

See the commands available in the breakpoint

help

Print the backtrace

backtrace

Resume the execution

resume

Quit the debugger

exit

You have many other commands available. Use help to learn more about them. Have fun!

Usage

If you want to integrate the GDB-Driver in your project, you can use the following code to get started:

String gdbGccDir = "C:\\MinGW\\bin";
String sourcePath = "D:\\working\\GDB-Driver\\src\\main\\resources\\file_1.c";
String executablePath = "D:\\working\\GDB-Driver\\src\\main\\resources\\file_1.exe";

GdbDriver gdbDriver = new GdbDriver();

gdbDriver.setGdbGccDir(gdbGccDir);

executablePath =gdbDriver.compile(sourcePath);

gdbDriver.loadFile(executablePath);

gdbDriver.setBreakpoint("file_1.c",13);

gdbDriver.setBreakHandler(() -> {
        System.out.println("Breakpoint hit with backtrace: " + gdbDriver.getBacktrace());
        gdbDriver.resume();
});

gdbDriver.run();

Task

Implement a class that allows debugging native applications from a JVM program.

specify debugger
set breakpoints
print the backtrace when execution is stopped
resume execution
sample CLI application
submit in a private GitHub repository - grant access to https://github.com/fastasturtle
build with Gradle
choices:
- naming conventions
- threading
- error handling
- tests
- extend functionality: stepping, watches, interactive mode
example

var driver = new DebuggerDriver("/usr/bin/gdb");
driver.load("/path/to/debuggee");
driver.setBreakpoint("file.c", 6);
driver.setBreakHandler(() -> {
System.out.println(driver.getBackTrace());
driver.resume();
});
driver.run();

Plan: 6h + done

Chronological order. Planned time -> actual time

understand task + read resources, similar projects: 1:30h plan project
project setup
- checkstyle: 10m
- install + play with GDB: 15m -> 30m
- set up running with gradle: 15m -> 30m
class
- design api: 10m
- implement: 2h -> 3h
- test + bugfix: 30m
CLI app
- implement: 30m -> 1h
- test + bugfix: 10m
README.md
Extra
- show output from gdb: 30m
fix stopping (test usageExample)
fix start
why cd sometimes doesn't work on cmd? + shortcut intelij focus terminal
fix hitting manual breakpoint not working
in the manual debugger, it shows exit: exits the program
make quit work anytime
Deprecated Gradle features were used in this build, making it incompatible with Gradle 9.0.
change the name of the project to GDB-Driver
make it public
fix readme gif
relative path: 15m -> 38m

ToDo

fix compiling (not working on gali's machine)
check all outputs for all commands
custom goodbye message
make documentation

Refactor

better error handling
improve tests - make them work outside my dir (make the testing somehow download the gdb or mock it)

Fix

showing all the commands on main (modify the cli or the code here?)
show multiple line backtrace: use some non-blocking input?
add timeout for output

Features

download all requirements automatically (gdb, gcc)
compile in the load step
cli
- add custom input to the gdb
- init: when open the app ask for the path to the gdb, then make a separate settings page
- info command: print all data
- remember last file used
- make help better, explain default

Teoneag/GDB-Driver-for-Java