macOS
Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install cdebuglocal Homebrew formula metadata
MacPortsverified · 94%
sudo port install cdebugMacPorts ports tree · sysutils/cdebug/Portfile · source: api.github.com
brew
Install cdebug with Homebrew, MacPorts
Swiss army knife of container debugging. Version 0.0.19 via Homebrew; verified 2026-06-15.
install
Additional install commands
overview
Package summary
Swiss army knife of container debugging
Project links
Commands and aliases
- cdebug
history
Project history and usage
cdebug is a Go-based command-line tool for debugging containers and Kubernetes pods, especially slim, scratch, and distroless images that do not include a shell or troubleshooting tools.
Project history
The upstream README calls cdebug a 'swiss army knife of container debugging' and documents commands for exec-style debugging, local port forwarding, and exporting or inspecting container filesystems. Its exec workflow is explicitly based on ideas from the iximiuz article about debugging slim Docker containers.
The GitHub releases begin with v0.0.1 on 2022-11-06 and continue through v0.0.19 on 2026-01-18, showing an active small-tool release history around container debugging workflows.
Adoption history
cdebug entered package-manager culture as a modern container-debugging utility rather than a classic Unix tool. The Homebrew input records Homebrew and MacPorts packaging, and the upstream README documents Homebrew installation for macOS and Linux.
How it is used
Users run cdebug exec against Docker, containerd, nerdctl, or Kubernetes targets to start a temporary debugging sidecar whose tools are available in the target container's filesystem view. The README also documents cdebug port-forward for exposing unpublished or localhost-only container ports.
Why package nerds care
cdebug is notable because it packages a container namespace trick into a single statically linked binary. It sits in the practical space between docker exec, kubectl debug, nsenter-style debugging, and ad hoc sidecar containers, which makes it attractive to operators dealing with minimal images.
Timeline
- 2022-11-06: v0.0.1 and v0.0.2 published.
- 2022-12: v0.0.4 through v0.0.6 published.
- 2023: Multiple releases through v0.0.14.
- 2024: v0.0.15 through v0.0.18 published.
- 2026-01-18: v0.0.19 published.
Related projects
- The upstream README frames cdebug exec as a cross between docker exec and kubectl debug, and points to Nixery as a way to build custom debugging images.
Sources
- https://api.github.com/repos/iximiuz/cdebug
- https://github.com/iximiuz/cdebug
- https://iximiuz.com/en/posts/docker-debug-slim-containers/
- https://github.com/iximiuz/cdebug#readme
- https://formulae.brew.sh/api/formula/cdebug.json
- https://github.com/iximiuz/cdebug/releases
- https://iximiuz.com/en/posts/docker-debug-slim-containers
security posture
Risk level: orange
infrastructure mutation or orchestration signal.
Risk classifier
orange risk · medium confidence · infrastructure
Why
- infrastructure mutation or orchestration signal
Signals
- text:container
Install behavior
- No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
- Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 6 platform targets.
- Build metadata lists 1 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.
executables
Installed executables
| Command | Kind | Exposure | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
cdebug | 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 version0.0.19
manager updated2026-06-15
local dataok
upstreamcurrent
latest detectedv0.0.19
https://github.com/iximiuz/cdebug
- okNo freshness warnings were generated.
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:cdebug |
|---|---|
| Version | 0.0.19 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Package manager page | https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/cdebug |
| Homepage | https://iximiuz.com/en/posts/docker-debug-slim-containers/ |
| Repository | https://github.com/iximiuz/cdebug |
| Upstream docs | https://github.com/iximiuz/cdebug#readme |
| License | Apache-2.0 |
| Source archive | https://github.com/iximiuz/cdebug/archive/refs/tags/v0.0.19.tar.gz |
| Last updated | 2026-06-15T10:20:12-04:00 |
| Pulse | updated |
| Build dependencies | go |
| 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 | cdebug |
| 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 |
|
source database matches
Other package-manager records
Matches are pulled from external package-manager indexes and kept separate from local Automic Vault package links.
MacPorts95%
cdebug
sudo port install cdebug- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Cdebug
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.
Used sources
- Geiger risk classifier
- Nucleus package database
- av.db category and tag curation
- cross-ecosystem install command graph
- curated package history
- external package-manager database matches
- package relationship graph
- package version freshness
- package-page enrichment