install

Additional install commands

macOS

Homebrewverified · 100%

brew install ddd

local Homebrew formula metadata

MacPortsverified · 94%

sudo port install ddd

MacPorts ports tree · devel/ddd/Portfile · source: api.github.com

Linux

Debian aptverified · 92%

sudo apt install ddd

Debian stable package indexes · ddd · source: deb.debian.org

Fedora dnfverified · 92%

sudo dnf install ddd

Fedora Rawhide package metadata · ddd · source: dl.fedoraproject.org

Nixverified · 92%

nix profile install nixpkgs#ddd

nixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/dd/ddd/package.nix · source: api.github.com

overview

Package summary

Graphical front-end for command-line debuggers

Project links

Commands and aliases

ddd

history

Project history and usage

GNU DDD, the Data Display Debugger, is a graphical front end for command-line debuggers. Its package identity is tied to the classic Unix debugging stack: Motif/X11 UI, GDB underneath, and a visual data display for inspecting structures as graphs.

Project history

DDD grew out of 1990s work on graphical debugging interfaces for Unix debuggers and became part of the GNU Project. The GNU manual describes it as a front end to GDB and other inferior debuggers, while the official DDD paper emphasized graphical data display as its distinctive contribution over a plain source-level debugger UI.

Adoption history

For many years DDD was packaged by Unix and Linux distributions as the familiar GUI companion to GDB, DBX, XDB, and similar debuggers. The project had a long stable period around the 3.3.x line, with GNU's news page announcing 3.3.12 in 2009, and later documentation and homepage updates describing the 3.4 series.

How it is used

Package users typically install DDD when they want a graphical debugging session without moving to an IDE: breakpoints, watchpoints, call stacks, source display, and graph-style inspection of data structures while GDB or another debugger runs underneath.

Why package nerds care

DDD is notable because it packages an older but still recognizable Unix GUI workflow: X11, Motif, GNU debugger tooling, and persistent per-user sessions. It is a reminder that command-line developer tools often acquired graphical front ends long before IDEs became the default package consumers.

Timeline

1995: Official DDD paper describes the graphical data display approach.
2009: DDD 3.3.12 announced on the GNU DDD news page.
2023: GNU manual first edition updated for DDD 3.4.0.
2026: GNU homepage lists the 3.4 series as the current stable line.

Related projects

GDB and CUDA-GDB are the primary debuggers named by the current GNU DDD homepage.
DBX, XDB, Bash, Python, Perl, and GNU Make debuggers are part of DDD's broader historical debugger-front-end role.
KDbg and IDE debuggers occupy adjacent graphical-debugger territory.

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 10 platform targets.
Installs with 12 runtime dependencies.
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.

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.

Unix: ~/.ddd/init~/.ddd/sessions/<session>/init

executables

Installed executables

Command	Kind	Exposure	Note
`ddd`	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 version3.4.1

manager updated2026-06-25

local dataok

upstreamnot checked

latest detectednot detected

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

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

install metadata

Package metadata

Package key	brew:ddd
Version	3.4.1
Package manager	Homebrew
Package manager page	https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/ddd
Homepage	https://www.gnu.org/software/ddd/
Repository	https://savannah.gnu.org/projects/ddd
Upstream docs	https://www.gnu.org/s/ddd/manual/html_mono/ddd.html
License	GPL-3.0-or-later AND GFDL-1.1-no-invariants-or-later AND GFDL-1.3-no-invariants-or-later AND HPND-sell-variant AND MIT-open-group
Source archive	https://ftpmirror.gnu.org/gnu/ddd/ddd-3.4.1.tar.gz
Last updated	2026-06-25T13:37:39+02:00
Pulse	updated
Dependencies	fontconfig, libice, libsm, libx11, libxaw, libxext, libxft, libxmu, libxp, libxpm, libxt, openmotif
Build dependencies	gnu-sed
Uses from macOS	ncurses
Bottle	available (on arm64_linux, arm64_monterey, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, arm64_ventura, monterey, sonoma, ventura, 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	ddd
Version Scheme	0
Revision	0
Bottle Stable Root URL	https://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core
Deprecated	no
Disabled	no
Keg Only	no
URL Keys	stable

source database matches

Other package-manager records

Matches are pulled from external package-manager indexes and kept separate from local Automic Vault package links.

Debian apt95%

ddd 1:3.3.12-5.4+b1

Data Display Debugger, a graphical debugger frontend

http://www.gnu.org/software/ddd/

sudo apt install ddd

Section: devel
Architecture: amd64
Source Package: ddd
10 dependencies
13 optional deps
normalized package name match
Matched by: Ddd

Debian stable package indexes · deb.debian.org · Debian stable package indexes: ddd from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz

Debian apt95%

ddd-doc 1:3.3.12-5.4

Additional documentation for the Data Display Debugger

http://www.gnu.org/software/ddd/

sudo apt install ddd-doc

Section: doc
Architecture: all
Source Package: ddd
3 optional deps
normalized package name match
Matched by: Ddd

Debian stable package indexes · deb.debian.org · Debian stable package indexes: ddd-doc from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz

Nix95%

ddd

nix profile install nixpkgs#ddd

normalized package name match
Matched by: Ddd

nixpkgs package indexes · api.github.com · nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/dd/ddd/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1

Ubuntu apt95%

ddd 1:3.3.12-5.4build2

Data Display Debugger, a graphical debugger frontend

http://www.gnu.org/software/ddd/

sudo apt install ddd

Section: universe/devel
Architecture: amd64
10 dependencies
13 optional deps
normalized package name match
Matched by: Ddd

Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes · archive.ubuntu.com · Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: ddd from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz

Ubuntu apt95%

ddd-doc 1:3.3.12-5.4build2

Additional documentation for the Data Display Debugger

http://www.gnu.org/software/ddd/

sudo apt install ddd-doc

Section: universe/doc
Architecture: all
Source Package: ddd
3 optional deps
normalized package name match
Matched by: Ddd

Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes · archive.ubuntu.com · Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: ddd-doc from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz

dnf95%

ddd 3.4.1-7.fc44

GUI for several command-line debuggers

http://www.gnu.org/software/ddd/

sudo dnf install ddd

License: GPL-2.0-or-later
Category: Unspecified
Architecture: x86_64
Source Package: ddd
23 dependencies
3 provides
normalized package name match
Matched by: Ddd

Fedora Rawhide package metadata · dl.fedoraproject.org · Fedora Rawhide package metadata: ddd from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst

MacPorts95%

ddd

sudo port install ddd

normalized package name match
Matched by: Ddd

MacPorts ports tree · api.github.com · MacPorts ports tree: devel/ddd/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1

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/ddd.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
external package-manager database matches
package relationship graph
package version freshness
package-page enrichment

Install ddd with Homebrew, apt, dnf, MacPorts, Nix

Additional install commands

macOS

Linux

Package summary

Project links

Commands and aliases

Project history and usage

Project history

Adoption history

How it is used

Why package nerds care

Timeline

Related projects

Sources

Risk level: red

Risk classifier

Why

Signals

Install behavior

Recommended review

Configuration and credential file locations

Configuration files

Installed executables

Version and freshness

Package metadata

Source database details

Other package-manager records

Internal package links

Topical hubs

Related tools

Same workflow

Agent security guides

Generated from repository data

Combined YAML source

Used sources