# Install arm-none-eabi-gdb with Homebrew, MacPorts, pacman GNU debugger for arm-none-eabi cross development. Version 17.2 via Homebrew; verified 2026-05-10. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:arm-none-eabi-gdb ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install arm-none-eabi-gdb ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata - MacPorts (94%): ```sh sudo port install arm-none-eabi-gdb ``` Evidence: MacPorts ports tree: cross/arm-none-eabi-gdb/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ### Linux - pacman (92%): ```sh sudo pacman -S arm-none-eabi-gdb ``` Evidence: Arch Linux sync databases: arm-none-eabi-gdb from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:arm-none-eabi-gdb - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 17.2 - **Source summary:** GNU debugger for arm-none-eabi cross development - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** GPL-3.0-or-later - **Source archive:** - **Last updated:** 2026-05-10T20:39:26Z - **Generated:** 2026-07-08T07:18:31+00:00 ## Executables - arm-none-eabi-gdb (cli) - arm-none-eabi-gdb-add-index (cli) - arm-none-eabi-gstack (cli) - arm-none-eabi-gdb (alias) - arm-none-eabi-gdb-add-index (alias) - arm-none-eabi-gstack (alias) ## Dependencies - gmp - mpfr - ncurses - python@3.14 - readline - xz - zstd ## Build dependencies - pkgconf - texinfo ## Uses from macOS - expat ## Install behavior - Post-install hook: not defined - Bottle: available on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, sonoma, x86_64_linux ## Freshness - Page generated: 2026-07-08 - Package-manager version: 17.2 - Package-manager updated: 2026-05-10 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://www.gnu.org/software/gdb/ - info: Release/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories. ## Project history and usage arm-none-eabi-gdb is the Homebrew-packaged GNU Debugger built for the ARM bare-metal target tuple. The upstream project is GDB itself: the GNU Project debugger maintained at Sourceware in the shared binutils-gdb repository, with the formula name exposing the embedded cross-debugging target rather than a separate upstream project. ### Project history GDB is one of the long-running GNU development tools. Sourceware's old-release archive lists GDB 2.0 in February 1987 and a long sequence of 2.x, 3.x, 4.x, and later releases, while the current manual is maintained by the Free Software Foundation and Sourceware. The project moved into the Sourceware-hosted binutils-gdb Git repository, where current sources, release branches, generated manuals, bug tracking, and release notes are published. For package users, arm-none-eabi-gdb matters because GDB's target architecture support can be packaged separately from the host debugger. The `arm-none-eabi` tuple conventionally points at ARM embedded systems without an operating-system ABI, so this package sits next to cross GCC, binutils, OpenOCD, vendor board SDKs, and firmware build systems rather than ordinary host-native debugging. ### Adoption history GDB became a default debugger in Unix-like development environments because it can debug native programs, remote targets, simulators, and many languages from a single CLI. Sourceware's project page explicitly describes native, remote, and simulator operation, which is exactly the capability embedded developers rely on when a workstation debugger talks to a microcontroller through a probe or debug server. The cross-target package form reflects adoption by embedded toolchains and package managers: users install a target-specific binary named `arm-none-eabi-gdb` so scripts and IDE integrations can call the debugger that matches the rest of the ARM bare-metal toolchain. ### How it is used Typical use is command-line or IDE-driven debugging of firmware ELF files, often connecting to a remote target such as `gdbserver` or an embedded debug server. GDB startup reads early init files, system init files, home init files, local `.gdbinit`, command files, and command-line `-ex` or `-x` commands, which is why package users care about the exact init-file paths. The package installs executables such as `arm-none-eabi-gdb`, `arm-none-eabi-gdb-add-index`, and `arm-none-eabi-gstack`, according to the supplied package facts. ### Why package nerds care This is a good example of a package name encoding a compiler target triple. The upstream repo is GDB, but the package identity is the cross-debugger binary name, so metadata needs to avoid inventing a separate `arm-none-eabi-gdb` upstream while still preserving the target-specific executable users actually install. Its config story is unusually important for curation because GDB loads both global and per-directory initialization files, and local `.gdbinit` behavior is a common source of convenience, reproducibility, and security policy decisions. ### Timeline - 1987: Sourceware's old-release archive lists gdb-2.0. - 1999: Sourceware lists pre- and post-reformat GDB source snapshots. - 2025: GDB 17.1 released with debugger adapter protocol, Python, Guile, and target-support changes. - 2026: GDB 17.2 released as a corrective release. ### Related projects - GNU Binutils shares the upstream binutils-gdb repository. - GNU GCC and the `arm-none-eabi` cross toolchain are common companions. - OpenOCD, pyOCD, and vendor debug servers commonly provide the remote target endpoint used by embedded GDB sessions. ### Sources - - - - - - source_facts.description - source_facts.executables ## Security Notes escape, surveillance, or offensive capability signal. - **Geiger risk:** red / medium - escape, surveillance, or offensive capability signal ## 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 - Linux: $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/gdb/gdbearlyinit, ~/.config/gdb/gdbearlyinit, ~/.gdbearlyinit, system.gdbinit, system.gdbinit.d, $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/gdb/gdbinit, ~/.config/gdb/gdbinit, ~/.gdbinit, .gdbinit - macOS: ~/Library/Preferences/gdb/gdbearlyinit, ~/.gdbearlyinit, system.gdbinit, system.gdbinit.d, ~/Library/Preferences/gdb/gdbinit, ~/.gdbinit, .gdbinit ## Source Database Details - **Source Database:** Homebrew formula API - **Tap:** homebrew/core - **Full Name:** arm-none-eabi-gdb - **Version Scheme:** 0 - **Revision:** 0 - **Head Version:** HEAD - **Bottle Stable Root URL:** - **Deprecated:** no - **Disabled:** no - **Keg Only:** no - **URL Keys:** head, stable ## Other Package-Manager Records - pacman - arm-none-eabi-gdb - 17.1-1: normalized package name match | Arch Linux sync databases: arm-none-eabi-gdb from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz | The GNU Debugger for the ARM EABI (bare-metal) target | https://www.gnu.org/software/gdb/ - MacPorts - arm-none-eabi-gdb: normalized package name match | MacPorts ports tree: cross/arm-none-eabi-gdb/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ## Related links - [Secret-risk packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/secret-risk-packages/) - Has protected-tool coverage, approval-gate, or non-low Geiger security signals. - [Terminal utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/terminal-utilities/) - Matched terminal and command-line workflow metadata. - [Text processing packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/text-processing-tools/) - Matched text, document, or structured-data processing metadata. - [Developer build packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/developer-build-tools/) - Matched build, compiler, generator, or developer workflow metadata. - [ncurses](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/ncurses/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew. - [python@3.14](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/python-3-14/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew. - [xz](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/xz/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew. - [zstd](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/zstd/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew. - [pkgconf](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/pkgconf/) - Build dependency declared by Homebrew. - [texinfo](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/texinfo/) - Build dependency declared by Homebrew. - [aarch64-elf-gdb](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/aarch64-elf-gdb/) - Shares the same upstream homepage. - [gdb](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/gdb/) - Shares the same upstream homepage. - [i386-elf-gdb](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/i386-elf-gdb/) - Shares the same upstream homepage. - [riscv64-elf-gdb](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/riscv64-elf-gdb/) - Shares the same upstream homepage. - [x86_64-elf-gdb](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/x86-64-elf-gdb/) - Shares the same upstream homepage. - [cgdb](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/cgdb/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, debugger, debuggers, developer-tools, gdb. - [arm-none-eabi-binutils](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/arm-none-eabi-binutils/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: arm, cli, developer-tools, embedded. - [arm-none-eabi-gcc](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/arm-none-eabi-gcc/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: arm, cli, developer-tools, embedded. - [ddd](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/ddd/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, debugger, developer-tools, gdb. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/arm-none-eabi-gdb.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/arm-none-eabi-gdb.yml) ## Sources - Nucleus package database - Geiger risk classifier - package-page enrichment - curated configuration and credential file locations - curated package history - package version freshness - av.db category and tag curation - package relationship graph - external package-manager database matches - cross-ecosystem install command graph