drgn is a programmable debugger designed to make complex debugging and system introspection tasks easier to express through scripts.
Originally developed for Linux kernel debugging, drgn exposes program types, variables and memory as objects that can be examined and manipulated through Python. Rather than requiring developers to translate every investigation into traditional debugger commands, it allows them to write scripts that navigate the structures and relationships within a running system.
This approach is particularly useful when investigating large, interconnected data structures in the Linux kernel. drgn can also examine userspace programs and serves as a library for building specialised debugging and diagnostic tools.
This is free and open source software.
Key Features
- Exposes program types, variables and memory through a programmable interface for debugging and introspection.
- Inspect a running Linux kernel to investigate its internal structures and current state.
- Analyse kernel crash dumps to examine the circumstances surrounding system failures.
- Attach to live userspace processes and investigate supported native applications.
- Examine userspace core dumps without needing to reproduce the original program failure.
- Navigate pointers, arrays, structures and other typed objects using natural expressions.
- Provides helper functions for inspecting common Linux kernel data structures and subsystems.
- Supports scripting tasks that traverse linked lists, examine kernel objects and filter information according to selected conditions.
- Can be embedded as a library within custom debugging, monitoring and introspection utilities.
- Supports symbolic debugging information to relate memory contents to program types and variables.
- Can be used interactively for exploratory debugging or through scripts that automate repeatable investigations.
- Provides an alternative workflow to conventional command-oriented debugging tools for complex system analysis.
Website: github.com/osandov/drgn
Support:
Developer: Omar Sandoval
License: GNU Lesser General Public License v2.1
drgn is written in Python and C. Learn Python with our recommended free books and free tutorials. Learn C with our recommended free books and free tutorials.
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