The Java Debugger, jdb, is a simple command-line
debugger for Java classes. It is a demonstration of the
Java Platform Debugger
Architecture that provides inspection and debugging of a
local or remote Java Virtual Machine.
Starting a jdb Session
There are many ways to start a jdb session. The most
frequently used way is to have jdb launch a new Java
Virtual Machine (VM) with the main class of the application
to be debugged. This is done by substituting the command
jdb for java in the command line. For example,
if your application's main class is MyClass, you use the
following command to debug it under JDB:
% jdb MyClass
When started this way, jdb invokes a second Java VM
with any specified parameters, loads the specified class, and stops
the VM before executing that class's first instruction.
Another way to use jdb is by attaching it to a Java
VM that is already running.
Syntax for Starting a VM to which jdb will attach when the VM is running
is as follows.
This loads in-process debugging libraries and specifies
the kind of connection to be made.
You can then attach jdb to the VM with the following
commmand:
% jdb -attach 8000
Note that "MyClass" is not specified in the jdb
command line in this case because jdb is connecting to an
existing VM instead of launching a new one.
There are many other ways to connect the debugger to a VM,
and all of them are supported by jdb. The Java
Platform Debugger Architecture has additional documentation on these
connection options. For information on starting a J2SE 1.4.2
or early VM for use with jdb see the
1.4.2 documentation
Basic jdb Commands
The following is a list of the
basic jdb commands. The Java debugger supports other
commands which you can list using jdb's help
command.
help, or ?
The most important jdb command, help
displays the list of recognized commands with a brief
description.
run
After starting jdb, and setting any necessary
breakpoints, you can use this command to start the
execution the debugged application. This command is
available only when jdb launches the debugged
application (as opposed to attaching to an existing
VM).
cont
Continues execution of the debugged application after
a breakpoint, exception, or step.
print
Displays Java objects and primitive values. For
variables or fields of primitive types, the actual
value is printed. For objects, a short description is
printed. See the dump command below for
getting more information about an object.
NOTE: To display local variables, the containing
class must have been compiled with the javac-g option.
print supports many simple Java expressions
including those with method invocations, for
example:
print MyClass.myStaticField
print myObj.myInstanceField
print i + j + k(i, j, k are
primities and either fields or local
variables)
print myObj.myMethod()(if myMethod
returns a non-null)
print new
java.lang.String("Hello").length()
dump
For primitive values, this command is identical to
print. For objects, it prints the current
value of each field defined in the object. Static and
instance fields are included.
The dump command supports the same set of
expressions as the print command.
threads
List the threads that are currently running. For each
thread, its name and current status are printed, as
well as an index that can be used for other commands,
for example:
4. (java.lang.Thread)0x1 main running
In this example, the thread index is 4,
the thread is an instance of java.lang.Thread, the
thread name is "main", and it is currently running,
thread
Select a thread to be the current thread. Many
jdb commands are based on the setting of the
current thread. The thread is specified with the thread
index described in the threads command
above.
where
where with no arguments dumps the stack of
the current thread. where all dumps the
stack of all threads in the current thread group.
wherethreadindex dumps the stack
of the specified thread.
If the current thread is suspended (either through
an event such as a breakpoint or through the
suspend command), local variables and fields
can be displayed with the print and
dump commands. The up and
down commands select which stack frame is
current.
Breakpoints
Breakpoints can be set in jdb at line numbers or at
the first instruction of a method, for example:
stop at MyClass:22(sets a breakpoint at
the first instruction for line 22 of the source file
containing MyClass)
stop in java.lang.String.length(sets a
breakpoint at the beginnig of the method
java.lang.String.length)
stop in MyClass.<init>(<init> identifies the MyClass
constructor)
stop in MyClass.<clinit>(<clinit> identifies the static initialization
code for MyClass)
If a method is overloaded, you must also specify its
argument types so that the proper method can be selected
for a breakpoint. For example,
"MyClass.myMethod(int,java.lang.String)", or
"MyClass.myMethod()".
The clear command removes breakpoints using a
syntax as in "clear MyClass:45". Using the
clear or command with no argument displays a list
of all breakpoints currently set. The cont command
continues execution.
Stepping
The step commands advances execution to the next
line whether it is in the current stack frame or a called
method. The next command advances execution to the
next line in the current stack frame.
Exceptions
When an exception occurs for which there isn't a catch
statement anywhere in the throwing thread's call stack, the
VM normally prints an exception trace and exits. When
running under jdb, however, control returns to
jdb at the offending throw. You can then use
jdb to diagnose the cause of the exception.
Use the catch command to cause the debugged
application to stop at other thrown exceptions, for
example: "catch java.io.FileNotFoundException" or
"catch mypackage.BigTroubleException. Any
exception which is an instance of the specifield class (or
of a subclass) will stop the application at the point where
it is thrown.
The ignore command negates the effect of a
previous catch command.
NOTE: The ignore command does not cause the
debugged VM to ignore specific exceptions, only the
debugger.
Command Line Options
When you use jdb in place of the Java application
launcher on the command line, jdb accepts many of the
same options as the java
command, including -D, -classpath, and
-X<option>.
The following additional options are accepted by
jdb:
-help
Displays a help message.
-sourcepath <dir1:dir2:...>
Uses the given path in searching for source files in the
specified path. If this option is not specified, the default
path of "." is used.
-attach <address>
Attaches the debugger to previously running VM using the
default connection mechanism.
-listen <address>
Waits for a running VM to connect at the specified
address using standard connector.
-listenany
Waits for a running VM to connect at any available
address using standard connector.
-launch
Launches the debugged application immediately upon
startup of jdb. This option removes the need for using the
run command. The debuged application is launched and
then stopped just before the initial application class is
loaded. At that point you can set any necessary breakpoints
and use the cont to continue execution.
-listconnectors
List the connectors available in this VM
-connect
<connector-name>:<name1>=<value1>,...
Connects to target VM using named connector with listed
argument values.
-dbgtrace [flags]
Prints info for debugging jdb.
-tclient
Runs the application in the Java HotSpot(tm) VM
(Client).
-tserver
Runs the application in the Java HotSpot(tm) VM
(Server).
-Joption
Pass option to the Java virtual machine used to run
jdb. (Options for the application Java virtual machine are
passed to the run command.) For example, -J-Xms48m
sets the startup memory to 48 megabytes.
Other options are supported for alternate mechanisms for
connecting the debugger and the VM it is to debug. The Java
Platform Debugger Architecture has additional documentation on these
connection alternatives.