AwesomeREA.org

Tool

pwndbg

Python plug-in that loads into GDB, or runs as a REPL around LLDB, to make live program state easier to inspect. Each stop prints a context of registers, stack, call frames and annotated disassembly with recursively dereferenced pointers; commands cover memory maps, search, telescoping, heap allocators and Go values, with Capstone/Unicorn emulation and decompiler integration for IDA, Binary Ninja, Ghidra and angr-management. The README lists Linux ELF, macOS Mach-O, QEMU user/system and embedded Cortex-M or RISC-V/32 debugging.

Requirements and limitations

  • Compatibility table: pwndbg-gdb needs Python 3.10+ and GDB 12.1+ (tested on Ubuntu 22.04/24.04); pwndbg-lldb needs Python 3.12+ and LLDB 19+, and its support is marked experimental/early-stage; qemu-user needs QEMU 8.1+ (its vFile API is needed for vmmap) and qemu-system QEMU 6.2+. Mach-O debugging on macOS uses LLDB, and qemu-user debugging is GDB only.
  • Release at review: 2026.09.15, published 2026-09-20, with portable archives, deb/rpm/apk/Arch packages, including macOS portable builds; the setup guide covers Linux and macOS through an install script, Homebrew, Nix, distro packages and source installs. The reviewed dev commit declares the same version.
  • MIT license. Decompiler integration needs the separately installed decompiler. No debugging sessions were run.

About this entry

Type
Tool
Category
Debugging and dynamic analysis
Relationship
Foundation tool
Targets
Binary

Sources reviewed

The description was reviewed against primary sources. This does not establish runtime testing, security auditing or verified compatibility.

Primary sources

  1. README.md GitHub · pwndbg/pwndbg · Revision 3044ccd
  2. README.md#L54-L81 GitHub · pwndbg/pwndbg · Revision 3044ccd
  3. docs/features.md GitHub · pwndbg/pwndbg · Revision 3044ccd
  4. docs/setup.md GitHub · pwndbg/pwndbg · Revision 3044ccd
  5. pyproject.toml GitHub · pwndbg/pwndbg · Revision 3044ccd
  6. LICENSE.md GitHub · pwndbg/pwndbg · Revision 3044ccd
  7. https://github.com/pwndbg/pwndbg/releases/tag/2026.09.15