#+title: Dape - Debug Adapter Protocol for Emacs
#+author: Daniel Pettersson
#+property: header-args    :results silent
#+language: en

#+html: <a href="https://elpa.gnu.org/packages/dape.html"><img alt="GNU ELPA" src="https://elpa.gnu.org/packages/dape.svg"/></a>

=Dape= is a debug adapter client for Emacs. The debug adapter protocol, much like its more well-known counterpart, the language server protocol, aims to establish a common API for programming tools. However, instead of functionalities such as code completions, it provides a standardized interface for debuggers.

To begin a debugging session, invoke the ~dape~ command. In the minibuffer prompt, enter a debug adapter configuration name from ~dape-configs~.

For complete functionality, make sure to enable ~eldoc-mode~ in your source buffers and ~repeat-mode~ for more pleasant key mappings.

* Features
+ Batteries included support (~describe-variable~ ~dape-configs~)
+ Log breakpoints
+ Conditional breakpoints
+ Variable explorer
+ Variable watch
+ Variable hover with ~eldoc~
+ REPL
+ gdb-mi.el like interface
+ Memory editor with ~hexl~
+ Integration with ~compile~
+ Debug adapter configuration ergonomics
+ No external dependencies outside of core Emacs

With ~(setq dape-buffer-window-arrangement 'right)~:
[[https://raw.githubusercontent.com/svaante/dape/resources/c-right-12.0.0.png]]
And with ~(setq dape-buffer-window-arrangement 'gud)~ + =corfu= as ~completion-in-region-function~:
[[https://raw.githubusercontent.com/svaante/dape/resources/js-gud-12.0.0.png]]
With =minibuffer= adapter configuration hints:
[[https://raw.githubusercontent.com/svaante/dape/resources/minibuffer-hints-12.0.0.png]]
Screenshots taken with [[https://elpa.gnu.org/packages/standard-themes.html][standard-light]].

* Configuration
=Dape= includes pre-defined debug adapter configurations for various programming languages. Refer to ~dape-configs~ for more details. If =dape= doesn't include a configuration suitable for your needs, you can implement your own.

#+begin_src emacs-lisp
  (use-package dape
    :preface
    ;; By default dape shares the same keybinding prefix as `gud'
    ;; If you do not want to use any prefix, set it to nil.
    ;; (setq dape-key-prefix "\C-x\C-a")

    :hook
    ;; Save breakpoints on quit
    ;; ((kill-emacs . dape-breakpoint-save)
    ;; Load breakpoints on startup
    ;;  (after-init . dape-breakpoint-load))

    :init
    ;; To use window configuration like gud (gdb-mi)
    ;; (setq dape-buffer-window-arrangement 'gud)

    :config
    ;; Info buffers to the right
    ;; (setq dape-buffer-window-arrangement 'right)

    ;; Global bindings for setting breakpoints with mouse
    ;; (dape-breakpoint-global-mode)

    ;; Pulse source line (performance hit)
    ;; (add-hook 'dape-display-source-hook 'pulse-momentary-highlight-one-line)

    ;; To not display info and/or buffers on startup
    ;; (remove-hook 'dape-start-hook 'dape-info)
    ;; (remove-hook 'dape-start-hook 'dape-repl)

    ;; To display info and/or repl buffers on stopped
    ;; (add-hook 'dape-stopped-hook 'dape-info)
    ;; (add-hook 'dape-stopped-hook 'dape-repl)

    ;; Kill compile buffer on build success
    ;; (add-hook 'dape-compile-hook 'kill-buffer)

    ;; Save buffers on startup, useful for interpreted languages
    ;; (add-hook 'dape-start-hook (lambda () (save-some-buffers t t)))

    ;; Projectile users
    ;; (setq dape-cwd-fn 'projectile-project-root)
    )
#+end_src

* Differences with dap-mode
Dape has no dependencies outside of core Emacs packages, and tries to use get as much out of them possible.

Dape takes a slightly different approach to configuration.
+ =Dape= does not support ~launch.json~ files, if per project configuration is needed use ~dir-locals~ and ~dape-command~.
+ =Dape= enhances ergonomics within the minibuffer by allowing users to modify or add PLIST entries to an existing configuration using options. For example ~dape-config :cwd default-directory :program ＂/home/user/b.out＂ compile ＂gcc -g -o b.out main.c＂~.
+ No magic, no special variables like =${workspaceFolder}=. Instead, functions and variables are resolved before starting a new session.
+ Tries to envision how debug adapter configurations would be implemented in Emacs if vscode never existed.

* Supported debug adapters
In theory all debug adapters should be compatible with =Dape=.

** Javascript - vscode-js-*
1. Install =node=
2. Visit https://github.com/microsoft/vscode-js-debug/releases/ and download the asset =js-debug-dap-<version>.tar.gz=
3. Unpack ~mkdir -p ~/.emacs.d/debug-adapters && tar -xvzf js-debug-dap-<version>.tar.gz -C ~/.emacs.d/debug-adapters~

For more information see [[https://github.com/microsoft/vscode-js-debug/blob/main/OPTIONS.md][OPTIONS.md]].

** Go - dlv
See [[https://github.com/go-delve/delve/tree/master/Documentation/installation][delve installation]].
For more information see [[https://github.com/go-delve/delve/blob/master/Documentation/usage/dlv_dap.md][documentation]].

** C, C++, Rust, and more - GDB
Ensure that your GDB version is 14.1 or newer.
For further details, consult the [[https://sourceware.org/gdb/current/onlinedocs/gdb.html/Debugger-Adapter-Protocol.html][documentation]].

** C, C++ and Rust - codelldb
1. Download latest =vsix= [[https://github.com/vadimcn/codelldb/releases][release]] for your platform =codelldb-<platform>-<os>.vsix=
2. Unpack ~mkdir -p ~/.emacs.d/debug-adapters && unzip codelldb-<platform>-<os>.vsix -d ~/.emacs.d/debug-adapters/codelldb~

See [[https://github.com/vadimcn/codelldb/blob/v1.10.0/MANUAL.md][manual]] for more information.

** C and C++ - cpptools
Download latesnd unpack =vsix= file with your favorite unzipper.

1. Download latest =vsix= [[https://github.com/microsoft/vscode-cpptools/releases][release]] for your platform =cpptools-<platform>-<os>.vsix=
2. Unpack ~mkdir -p ~/.emacs.d/debug-adapters && unzip cpptools-<os>-<platform>.vsix -d ~/.emacs.d/debug-adapters/cpptools~
3. Then ~chmod +x ~/.emacs.d/debug-adapters/cpptools/extension/debugAdapters/bin/OpenDebugAD7~
4. And ~chmod +x ~/.emacs.d/debug-adapters/cpptools/extension/debugAdapters/lldb-mi/bin/lldb-mi~

See [[https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/cpp/launch-json-reference][options]].

** Python - debugpy
Install debugpy with pip ~pip install debugpy~

See [[https://github.com/microsoft/debugpy/wiki/Debug-configuration-settings][options]].

** Godot
Configure debug adapter port under "Editor" > "Editor Settings" > "Debug Adapter".

** Dart - flutter
See for installation https://docs.flutter.dev/get-started/install

** C# - netcoredbg
See https://github.com/Samsung/netcoredbg for installation

** Ruby - rdbg
Install with ~gem install debug~.

See https://github.com/ruby/debug for more information

** Java - JDTLS with Java Debug Server plugin
See https://github.com/eclipse-jdtls/eclipse.jdt.ls for installation of JDTLS.
See https://github.com/microsoft/java-debug for installation of the Java Debug Server plugin.
The Java config depends on Eglot running JDTLS with the plugin prior to starting Dape.
Extend ~eglot-server-programs~ as follows to have JDTLS load the plugin:
#+begin_src emacs-lisp
  (add-to-list 'eglot-server-programs
               `((java-mode java-ts-mode) .
                 ("jdtls"
                  :initializationOptions
                  (:bundles ["/PATH/TO/java-debug/com.microsoft.java.debug.plugin/target/com.microsoft.java.debug.plugin-VERSION.jar"]))))
#+end_src

** Other untested adapters
If you find a working configuration for any other debug adapter please submit a PR.

See [[https://microsoft.github.io/debug-adapter-protocol/implementors/adapters/][microsofts list]] for other adapters, your mileage will vary.

* Contribute
=dape= is subject to the same copyright assignment policy as GNU Emacs.

Any legally [[https://www.gnu.org/prep/maintain/html_node/Legally-Significant.html#Legally-Significant][significant]] contributions can only be merged after the author has completed their paperwork.
See [[https://www.fsf.org/licensing/contributor-faq][Contributor's Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)]] for more information.

* Performance

Some minor gains to performance in the debugger can be achieved in changing Emacs configuration values for process interaction and garbage collection.

** =gc-cons-threshold=

This variable controls the frequency of garbage collection in Emacs.
Too high a value will lead to increased system memory pressure and longer stalls, and too low a value will result in extra interruptions and context switches (poor performance).

According to [[https://www.reddit.com/r/emacs/comments/brc05y/comment/eofulix/][GNU Emacs Maintainer Eli Zaretskii]]:

: My suggestion is to repeatedly multiply gc-cons-threshold by 2 until you stop seeing significant improvements in
: responsiveness, and in any case not to increase by a factor larger than 100 or somesuch. If even a 100-fold increase
: doesn't help, there's some deeper problem with the Lisp code which produces so much garbage, or maybe GC is not the
: reason for slowdown.

Abiding the upper end of that advice, you can try to set =gc-cons-threshold= to 100x the original value:

#+begin_src elisp
  (setq gc-cons-threshold 80000000) ;; original value * 100
#+end_src

** =read-process-output-max=

The default =read-process-output-max= of 4096 bytes may inhibit performance to some degree, also.

*** Linux

On Linux, you should be able to set it up to about =1mb=.
To check the max value, check the output of:

#+begin_src sh
  cat /proc/sys/fs/pipe-max-size
#+end_src

To set it:

#+begin_src elisp
  (setq read-process-output-max (* 1024 1024)) ;; 1mb
#+end_src

*** Mac OS

For Mac OS, there isn't an easy way to see the operating system pipe-max-size.
It's probably about =64kb=.

#+begin_src elisp
  (setq read-process-output-max (* 64 1024)) ;; 64k
#+end_src

*** Windows

There doesn't seem to be a limit for Windows.
You can try =1mb=.

#+begin_src elisp
  (setq read-process-output-max (* 1024 1024)) ;; 1mb
#+end_src

* Bugs and issues
Before reporting any issues ~(setq dape-debug t)~ and take a look at =*dape-repl*= buffer. Please share your =*dape-repl*= and =*dape-connection events*= in the buffer contents with the bug report.
The =master= branch is used as an development branch and releases on elpa should be more stable so in the mean time use elpa if the bug is a breaking you workflow.

* Acknowledgements
Big thanks to João Távora for the input and jsonrpc; the project wouldn't be where it is without João.
