Use dape-configs to set up your debug adapter configurations. To initiate debugging sessions, use the command dape.

For complete functionality, activate eldoc-mode in your source buffers and enable repeat-mode for ergonomics.

• Log breakpoints
• Conditional breakpoints
• Variable explorer
• Variable watch
• Variable hover with eldoc
• REPL
• gdb-mi.el like interface
• Memory viewer with hexl
• compile integration
• Debug adapter configuration ergonomics
• No dependencies (except for jsonrpc which is part of emacs but needed version is not part of latest stable emacs release 29.1-1 but available on elpa)

With (setq dape-buffer-window-arrangement 'right): And with (setq dape-buffer-window-arrangement 'gud) + corfu as completion-in-region-function: And with minibuffer config hints:

Screenshots taken with modus-operandi-tinted.

Currently Dape does not come with any debug adapter configuration.

(use-package dape
  ;; By default dape shares the same keybinding prefix as `gud'
  ;; If you do not want to use any prefix, set it to nil.
  ;; :preface
  ;; (setq dape-key-prefix "\C-x\C-a")
  ;;
  ;; May also need to set/change gud (gdb-mi) key prefix
  ;; (setq gud-key-prefix "\C-x\C-a")

  :hook
  ;; Save breakpoints on quit
  ;; (kill-emacs . dape-breakpoint-save)
  ;; Load breakpoints on startup
  ;; (after-init . dape-breakpoint-load))

  :init
  ;; To use window configuration like gud (gdb-mi)
  ;; (setq dape-buffer-window-arrangement 'gud)

  :config
  ;; Info buffers to the right
  ;; (setq dape-buffer-window-arrangement 'right)

  ;; To not display info and/or buffers on startup
  ;; (remove-hook 'dape-on-start-hooks 'dape-info)
  ;; (remove-hook 'dape-on-start-hooks 'dape-repl)

  ;; To display info and/or repl buffers on stopped
  ;; (add-hook 'dape-on-stopped-hooks 'dape-info)
  ;; (add-hook 'dape-on-stopped-hooks 'dape-repl)

  ;; Kill compile buffer on build success
  ;; (add-hook 'dape-compile-compile-hooks 'kill-buffer)

  ;; Save buffers on startup, useful for interpreted languages
  ;; (add-hook 'dape-on-start-hooks
  ;;           (defun dape--save-on-start ()
  ;;             (save-some-buffers t t)))

  ;; Projectile users
  ;; (setq dape-cwd-fn 'projectile-project-root)
  )

Dape has no dependencies outside of packages included in emacs, and tries to use get as much out of them possible.

Dape takes a slightly different approach to configuration.

• Dape does not support launch.json files, if per project configuration is needed use dir-locals.
• Tries to simplify configuration, by having just a plist.
• Dape tries to improve config ergonomics in dape completing-read by using options to change/add plist entries in an already existing config, example: adapter-config :program ＂/home/user/b.out＂ compile ＂gcc -g -o b.out main.c＂.
• No magic, no special variables. Instead, functions and variables are resolved before starting a new session.
• Tries to be envision to how debug adapter configuration would be implemented in emacs if vscode never existed.

In theory all debug adapters should be compatible with Dape.

1. Install node
2. Visit https://github.com/microsoft/vscode-js-debug/releases/ and download the asset js-debug-dap-<version>.tar.gz
3. Unpack mkdir -p ~/.emacs.d/debug-adapters && tar -xvzf js-debug-dap-<version>.tar.gz -C ~/.emacs.d/debug-adapters

For more information see OPTIONS.md.

See delve installation. For more information see documentation.

Ensure that your GDB version is 14.1 or newer. For further details, consult the documentation.

1. Download latest vsix release for your platform codelldb-<platform>-<os>.vsix
2. Unpack mkdir -p ~/.emacs.d/debug-adapters && unzip codelldb-<platform>-<os>.vsix -d ~/.emacs.d/debug-adapters/codelldb

See manual for more information.

Download latesnd unpack vsix file with your favorite unzipper.

1. Download latest vsix release for your platform cpptools-<platform>-<os>.vsix
2. Unpack mkdir -p ~/.emacs.d/debug-adapters && unzip cpptools-<os>-<platform>.vsix -d ~/.emacs.d/debug-adapters/cpptools
3. Then chmod +x ~/.emacs.d/debug-adapters/cpptools/extension/debugAdapters/bin/OpenDebugAD7
4. And chmod +x ~/.emacs.d/debug-adapters/cpptools/extension/debugAdapters/lldb-mi/bin/lldb-mi

See options.

Install debugpy with pip pip install debugpy

See options.

Configure debug adapter port under “Editor” -> “Editor Settings” -> “Debug Adapter”.

See for installation https://docs.flutter.dev/get-started/install

See https://github.com/Samsung/netcoredbg for installation

Install with gem install debug.

See https://github.com/ruby/debug for more information

See https://github.com/eclipse-jdtls/eclipse.jdt.ls for installation of JDTLS. See https://github.com/microsoft/java-debug for installation of the Java Debug Server plugin. The Java config depends on Eglot running JDTLS with the plugin prior to starting Dape. Extend eglot-server-programs as follows to have JDTLS load the plugin:

(add-to-list 'eglot-server-programs
             `((java-mode java-ts-mode) .
               ("jdtls"
                :initializationOptions
                (:bundles ["/PATH/TO/java-debug/com.microsoft.java.debug.plugin/target/com.microsoft.java.debug.plugin-VERSION.jar"]))))

If you find a working configuration for any other debug adapter please submit a PR.

See microsofts list for other adapters, your mileage will vary.

If your are having issues with adapter output in *dape-repl* and startup time jsonrpc.el could be the culprit. This has been reported upstream (#69241), but until the issue has been fixed there exists an fork of jsonrpc.el.

(use-package jsonrpc
  :straight (jsonrpc :type git :host github :repo "svaante/jsonrpc"))

dape is subject to the same copyright assignment policy as GNU Emacs.

Any legally significant contributions can only be merged after the author has completed their paperwork. See Contributor’s Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) for more information.

Before reporting any issues (setq dape-debug t) and take a look at *dape-repl* buffer. Please share your *dape-repl* and *dape-connection events* in the buffer contents with the bug report. Master is used is for all case and purposes a development branch still and releases on elpa should be more stable so in the mean time use elpa if the bug is a breaking you workflow.

Big thanks to João Távora for the input and jsonrpc; the project wouldn’t be where it is without João.