GDB has a Bug Database. It is used to track bugs (Problem Reports or PRs) and enhancements (Change Requests or CRs). In addition to problems encountered when running GDB, bugs include: errors or missing documentation; missing test cases; web changes; work in progress; dummy reports for fixed but unreported bugs; entries of not-a-bugs; and even adminstrivia.

Please note that many companies now redistribute GDB, often as part of a GNU/Linux distribution. When you find bugs in GDB that you installed with a given GNU/Linux distribution, it is often useful to first try reporting the bug directly to the distributor, not to us. Sometimes, distributors have modified the GNU software (as they are free to do so!) or they are running older versions. Thus, they may be the best people to find a bug as it pertains to a particular distribution.

Before submitting a new PR/CR, try browsing the database to see if the problem has already been reported or even fixed.

It is also very helpful if you can try reproducing the problem with a current GDB snapshot (see current). Often bugs in the most recent release (see download) have already been fixed in the latest development sources. Regardless, be sure to fill in the Release field.

The Bug Report Form has a number of fields, the intended use of some of them are less than obvious, the below may help in filling in the form:

CC these people on PR status e-mail

A list of interested parties. If converting an e-mail posting into a bug report consider including the CC line.

Category

Set this to GDB.

Synopsis

Since this is used for key word searches, including the operating system (GNU/Linux, ...), compiler (GCC, xcc, ...) and language (C, C++, ...) can be helpful.

Confidential

Set this to no. GDB's bug tracking database is not confidential.

Severity

How disastrous is the bug? The following is a rule of thumb. critical: unusable (doesn't build, dumps core during startup, ...), testsuite regression; serious: most things (core dump, misleading behavour, ...); non-critical: obscure edge condition.

Priority

From the viewpoint of the GDB, how urgent is the bug fix? Select either medium or low. High is reserved.

Submitter-Id

Set this to net.

Release

It appears as the first line of the GDB startup text (GNU gdb 2002-03-01-cvs, GDB 4.17). The more recent the release the better.

Environment

Three pieces of information are useful:

• the operating system verson (output of uname -a)
• the compiler version (for GCC, the output from gcc -v)
• how GDB was configured (the This GDB was configured as line from GDB's startup text)

How-To-Repeat

A sequence (compiler invocation, gdb commands, ...) that can be used to reproduce the problem. A new testcase would be briliant!

If you're interested in participating in GDB's development (helping to fix bugs, write documentation, develop new code), see the mailing list and contribute web pages.

We welcome feedback and contributions.