# Debugging
[TOC]
It is possible to debug Fuchsia binaries using `zxdb`. For the sake of these
examples, we will be using `base_unittests` as the test suite we wish to
execute. These instructions assume that your Chromium build has the following gn
arguments:
```
is_debug = true
is_component_build = true
target_os = "fuchsia"
symbol_level = 2
```
## Manual debugging via the command line
1. (From Chromium) Install your package(s) and its symbols onto the device.
```bash
out/fuchsia/bin/install_base_unittests --fuchsia-out-dir=/path/to/fuchsia/out/directory
```
2. (From Fuchsia source tree) Run the debugger.
```bash
fx debug -- --build-dir /path/to/chromium/src/out/directory
```
3. Set up the debugger to attach to the process.
```
[zxdb] attach base_unittests.cmx
```
4. Configure breakpoint(s).
```
[zxdb] break base::GetDefaultJob
```
5. (In another terminal, from Fuchsia source tree) Run the test package.
```bash
fx shell run fuchsia-pkg://fuchsia.com/base_unittests#meta/base_unittests.cmx
```
6. At this point, you should hit a breakpoint in `zxdb`.
```
[zxdb] f
▶ 0 base::GetDefaultJob() • default_job.cc:18
1 base::$anon::LaunchChildTestProcessWithOptions(…) • test_launcher.cc:335
2 base::$anon::DoLaunchChildTestProcess(…) • test_launcher.cc:528
3 base::TestLauncher::LaunchChildGTestProcess(…) • test_launcher.cc:877
...
```
7. Enjoy debugging! Steps 2 through 6 will also work for things like services
which aren't run directly from the command line, such as WebEngine.
Run `help` inside ZXDB to see what debugger commands are available.
## VS Code integration
1. Install the [zxdb](https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=fuchsia-authors.zxdb)
extension.
2. Modify the `zxdb.command` setting in your Chromium workspace to this value:
```bash
(cd /path/to/fuchsia ; fx debug -- --enable-debug-adapter --build-dir /path/to/chromium/src/out/directory)
```
3. Edit your debug launch configurations in `.vscode/launch.json`:
```json
{
"version": "0.2.0",
"configurations": [
{
"name": "Attach to base_unittests",
"type": "zxdb",
"request": "attach",
"process": "base_unittests.cmx"
}
]
}
```
You can add more configurations as needed.
4. Start the debug configuration in VS Code. You should get a terminal with zxdb
running.
5. Launch the test suite in a terminal.
```bash
out/fuchsia/bin/run_base_unittests -d --fuchsia-out-dir=/path/to/fuchsia/out/directory
```
6. Breakpoints set in the IDE should work.