install

Additional install commands

macOS

Homebrewverified · 100%

brew install aarch64-elf-gdb

local Homebrew formula metadata

overview

Package summary

GNU debugger for aarch64-elf cross development

Project links

Commands and aliases

aarch64-elf-gdb
aarch64-elf-gdb-add-index
aarch64-elf-gstack

history

Project history and usage

aarch64-elf-gdb is Homebrew's target-prefixed packaging of GDB, the GNU Project debugger, for AArch64 ELF cross development. It provides aarch64-elf-gdb and related helper executables for debugging target programs rather than host-native programs.

Project history

The official GDB download page identifies GDB as the GNU Project Debugger and says releases go back to the 2.4/2.8 timeframe in 1988. Sourceware hosts the current documentation, release schedule, and the combined binutils-gdb.git source repository.

The Sourceware git summary publishes the official HTTPS repository URL and describes the repository as gdb and binutils. The GDB schedule page tracks modern release history, including GDB 17.2 in 2026.

Adoption history

GDB became the standard debugger companion for GNU compiler and Binutils toolchains, and package managers often publish target-prefixed GDB builds for embedded or cross-development workflows. Homebrew's formula is one of those target-specific packages for aarch64-elf.

Official Homebrew analytics show the formula is specialized but actively used, matching the narrower audience for cross-debugging compared with host-native debugging.

How it is used

Users install aarch64-elf-gdb to debug AArch64 ELF programs, often alongside aarch64-elf-gcc and aarch64-elf-binutils. In cross workflows it is commonly used with remote targets, simulators, emulators, or debug stubs rather than running the target binary directly on the host.

GDB reads early and general initialization files at startup. The official manual documents different home-directory locations for non-macOS and macOS hosts, plus a local .gdbinit loaded from the current working directory.

Why package nerds care

This package matters because debugger target triples are as important as compiler target triples: the wrong GDB can misunderstand registers, ABI details, executable formats, or remote target expectations.

For package nerds, aarch64-elf-gdb completes the familiar GNU cross-toolchain set: Binutils for object manipulation, GCC for compilation, and GDB for debug sessions.

Timeline

1988: The official GDB download page says old releases go back to the 2.4/2.8 timeframe.
2025: The GDB schedule page lists the GDB 17 branch date as June 21, 2025.
2026: Sourceware git tags list GDB 17.2 as a release.
2026: Homebrew's aarch64-elf-gdb formula packages GDB 17.2 for aarch64-elf cross development.

Related projects

GNU Binutils shares the binutils-gdb.git repository and supplies lower-level binary utilities used in GNU toolchains.
GCC is the compiler commonly paired with GDB for source-level debugging of GNU-built programs.
The aarch64-elf-binutils and aarch64-elf-gcc Homebrew formulae are target-matched companions.

Sources

security posture

Risk level: red

escape, surveillance, or offensive capability signal.

Risk classifier

red risk · medium confidence · escape-surveillance-offensive

Why

escape, surveillance, or offensive capability signal

Signals

text:debugger

Install behavior

No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 6 platform targets.
Installs with 7 runtime dependencies.
Build metadata lists 2 build dependencies.

Recommended review

Before unattended agent use, check whether the tool reads plaintext credentials, writes remote state, publishes artifacts, or shells out to plugins.

local files

Configuration and credential file locations

These source-backed paths show where this package keeps local settings or durable credentials. Automic Vault can use them as review targets for secret scanning, migration, and command approval.

Configuration files

Config paths the tool may read or write during local use.

Linux: $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/gdb/gdbearlyinit~/.config/gdb/gdbearlyinit~/.gdbearlyinit$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/gdb/gdbinit~/.config/gdb/gdbinit~/.gdbinit.gdbinit
macOS: ~/Library/Preferences/gdb/gdbearlyinit~/.gdbearlyinit~/Library/Preferences/gdb/gdbinit~/.gdbinit.gdbinit

executables

Installed executables

Command	Kind	Exposure
`aarch64-elf-gdb`	cli	global executable
`aarch64-elf-gdb-add-index`	cli	global executable
`aarch64-elf-gstack`	cli	global executable

freshness

Version and freshness

These signals separate page generation age, package-manager activity, and upstream release comparison. Version lag is warned only when an evidence URL and comparable versions are present.

page generated2026-07-08

manager version17.2

manager updated2026-05-26

local dataok

upstreamnot checked

latest detectednot detected

https://www.gnu.org/software/gdb/

infoRelease/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories.https://www.gnu.org/software/gdb/none confidence

install metadata

Package metadata

Package key	brew:aarch64-elf-gdb
Version	17.2
Package manager	Homebrew
Package manager page	https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/aarch64-elf-gdb
Homepage	https://www.gnu.org/software/gdb/
Repository	https://sourceware.org/git/binutils-gdb.git
Upstream docs	https://sourceware.org/gdb/current/onlinedocs/gdb.html
License	GPL-3.0-or-later
Source archive	https://ftpmirror.gnu.org/gnu/gdb/gdb-17.2.tar.xz
Last updated	2026-05-26T23:37:45-04:00
Pulse	updated
Dependencies	gmp, mpfr, ncurses, python@3.14, readline, xz, zstd
Build dependencies	pkgconf, texinfo
Uses from macOS	expat
Bottle	available (on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, sonoma, x86_64_linux)
Homebrew post-install	not defined
Service	none declared

registry facts

Source database details

Source Database	Homebrew formula API
Tap	homebrew/core
Full Name	aarch64-elf-gdb
Version Scheme	0
Revision	0
Head Version	HEAD
Bottle Stable Root URL	https://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core
Deprecated	no
Disabled	no
Keg Only	no
URL Keys	head stable

package graph

Links come from deterministic package relationships, av.db category and tag curation, ecosystem matches, and package hub membership.

source trail

Generated from repository data

This page is generated by av-web from the private package SQLite artifact built by scripts/generate-pkg-sqlite.py.

Combined YAML source

View the package source record on GitHub.

combined/aarch64-elf-gdb.yml

Used sources

Geiger risk classifier
Nucleus package database
av.db category and tag curation
cross-ecosystem install command graph
curated configuration and credential file locations
curated package history
package relationship graph
package version freshness
package-page enrichment

Install aarch64-elf-gdb with Homebrew