# Install cgdb with Homebrew, apk, apt, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, zypper Curses-based interface to the GNU Debugger. Version 0.8.0 via Homebrew; verified 2026-06-22. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:cgdb ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install cgdb ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata - MacPorts (94%): ```sh sudo port install cgdb ``` Evidence: MacPorts ports tree: devel/cgdb/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ### Linux - apk (92%): ```sh sudo apk add cgdb ``` Evidence: Alpine Linux edge package indexes: cgdb from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/main/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz - Debian apt (92%): ```sh sudo apt install cgdb ``` Evidence: Debian stable package indexes: cgdb from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz - dnf (92%): ```sh sudo dnf install cgdb ``` Evidence: Fedora Rawhide package metadata: cgdb from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst - Nix (92%): ```sh nix profile install nixpkgs#cgdb ``` Evidence: nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/cg/cgdb/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - pacman (92%): ```sh sudo pacman -S cgdb ``` Evidence: Arch Linux sync databases: cgdb from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz - zypper (92%): ```sh sudo zypper install cgdb ``` Evidence: openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: cgdb from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:cgdb - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 0.8.0 - **Source summary:** Curses-based interface to the GNU Debugger - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** GPL-2.0-or-later - **Source archive:** - **Last updated:** 2026-06-22T14:03:00-07:00 - **Generated:** 2026-07-08T07:18:31+00:00 ## Executables - cgdb (cli) - cgdb (alias) ## Dependencies - readline ## Build dependencies - help2man - texinfo ## Uses from macOS - ncurses ## Install behavior - Post-install hook: not defined - Bottle: available on arm64_big_sur, arm64_linux, arm64_monterey, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, arm64_ventura, big_sur, catalina, monterey, sonoma, ventura ## Freshness - Page generated: 2026-07-08 - Package-manager version: 0.8.0 - Package-manager updated: 2026-06-22 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://cgdb.github.io/ - info: Release/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories. ## Project history and usage CGDB is a lightweight curses-based front end to GDB with a split source/GDB terminal interface modeled after vi. ### Project history CGDB grew as a terminal debugger interface focused on keeping the familiar GDB prompt while adding a source window, syntax highlighting, breakpoints, and vi-like navigation. The manual identifies CGDB 0.8.0 as the GNU ncurses based front end to GDB. ### Adoption history The project ships official source releases and is packaged broadly in Unix package managers. Its NEWS file shows long-running portability work across Unix variants, macOS, Cygwin, and newer GDB releases. ### How it is used Users launch cgdb as a GDB front end, pass commands through the GDB window, navigate source in CGDB mode, and configure behavior through cgdbrc files under CGDB_DIR or ~/.cgdb. ### Why package nerds care CGDB is a classic terminal-packaging example: small, curses-based, tied to readline/ncurses/GDB behavior, and useful for developers who want source-level debugging without a graphical IDE. ### Timeline - 2003: NEWS records cgdb-0.4.0. - 2006: cgdb-0.6.0 added a new manual and tab completion support. - 2017: cgdb-0.7.0 added vertical/horizontal splitting, assembly support, and Rust syntax highlighting. - 2022: cgdb-0.8.0 moved to GDB/MI and implemented a virtual terminal in the GDB window. ### Related projects - CGDB is built around GNU GDB and includes gdbwire for communicating with GDB. ### Sources - - - - - - - - ## 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 - Unix: $CGDB_DIR/cgdbrc, ~/.cgdb/cgdbrc ## Source Database Details - **Source Database:** Homebrew formula API - **Tap:** homebrew/core - **Full Name:** cgdb - **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 - Debian apt - cgdb - 0.8.0-3: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: cgdb from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | curses-based interface to the GNU Debugger (GDB) | https://cgdb.github.io/ - Nix - cgdb: normalized package name match | nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/cg/cgdb/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - Ubuntu apt - cgdb - 0.8.0-2build2: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: cgdb from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | curses-based interface to the GNU Debugger (GDB) | https://cgdb.github.io/ - apk - cgdb - 0.8.0-r4: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: cgdb from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/main/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | The Curses Debugger | https://cgdb.github.io/ - apk - cgdb-doc - 0.8.0-r4: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: cgdb-doc from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/main/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | The Curses Debugger (documentation) | https://cgdb.github.io/ - dnf - cgdb - 0.8.0-16.fc44: normalized package name match | Fedora Rawhide package metadata: cgdb from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst | CGDB is a curses-based interface to the GNU Debugger (GDB) | https://cgdb.github.io/ - pacman - cgdb - 0.8.0-2: normalized package name match | Arch Linux sync databases: cgdb from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz | Curses-based interface to the GNU Debugger | http://cgdb.github.io/ - zypper - cgdb - 0.8.0-2.6: normalized package name match | openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: cgdb from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst | Curses debugger | https://cgdb.github.io/ - MacPorts - cgdb: normalized package name match | MacPorts ports tree: devel/cgdb/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ## Related links - [Source-control packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/source-control-tools/) - Belongs to a source-control command family. - [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. - [help2man](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/help2man/) - 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 av.db curated category or tags: cli, debugger, debuggers, developer-tools, gdb. - [arm-none-eabi-gdb](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/arm-none-eabi-gdb/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, debugger, debuggers, developer-tools, gdb. - [i386-elf-gdb](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/i386-elf-gdb/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, debugger, debuggers, developer-tools, gdb. - [x86_64-elf-gdb](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/x86-64-elf-gdb/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, debugger, debuggers, developer-tools. - [bvi](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/bvi/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, curses, developer-tools, terminal. - [ddd](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/ddd/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, debugger, developer-tools, gdb. - [gdb](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/gdb/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, debugger, developer-tools, gdb. - [gdbgui](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/gdbgui/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, debugger, developer-tools, gdb. - [lnav](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/lnav/) - Local package facts share a topical domain. Shared terms: based, cli, curses, curses-based, developer. - [bitwise](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/bitwise/) - Local package facts share a topical domain. Shared terms: based, cli, developer, developer-tools, readline. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/cgdb.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/cgdb.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