pudb: Debug Python Programs in a Terminal

Overview

PuDB is a visual debugger for Python programs that runs inside a terminal. It addresses the gap between command-line debugging with pdb and GUI-based debuggers, providing an at-a-glance view of program state without leaving the console.

It is suited to developers who work in terminals or want a lightweight debugging interface alongside their code and tests. Its keyboard-based controls and post-mortem mode support both stepping through a running program and investigating a crash.

Key Features

• Shows syntax-highlighted source, stack frames, breakpoints, and variables together, with variable values that can be expanded or collapsed.
• Supports keyboard navigation with cursor keys and Vi-style shortcuts.
• Lets users set breakpoints at source lines and run execution to the selected line.
• Provides source search and a module browser for inspecting, loading, or reloading modules.
• Offers an interactive Python shell in the current environment and a command prompt alongside source code.
• Includes post-mortem debugging for retracing a program after an exception.
• Supports themes and control from a separate terminal.

Use Cases

• Python developers can inspect variables and stack frames while stepping through code, without switching from a terminal workflow.
• Test authors can launch the debugger when a test fails and examine the program state around the failure.
• Developers diagnosing crashes can use post-mortem mode to retrace the last steps of a program.
• Users working with loaded Python modules can inspect them in the module browser and reload modules during debugging.

Project Facts

• Language: Python
• License: NOASSERTION
• Stars: 3.2k
• Forks: 245
• Topics: bpython, debug, debugger, ipython, pdb, pytest, pytest-plugin, python, urwid
• Archived: No

Getting Started

Clone the repository:

git clone https://github.com/inducer/pudb.git

See the README and documentation for usage and setup details.

Considerations

PuDB is a terminal interface, so it is intended for console-based debugging rather than a graphical desktop workflow. The README states that it should work with Python 3.6 and newer; versions 2019.2 and older continued to support Python 2.7. The repository input does not assert a license, so review the repository's licensing information before relying on specific reuse permissions.