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Debugger

Stability: 2 - Stable

Node.js includes an out-of-process debugging utility accessible via a TCP-based protocol and built-in debugging client. To use it, start Node.js with the debug argument followed by the path to the script to debug; a prompt will be displayed indicating successful launch of the debugger:

$ node debug myscript.js
< debugger listening on port 5858
connecting... ok
break in /home/indutny/Code/git/indutny/myscript.js:1
  1 x = 5;
  2 setTimeout(() => {
  3   debugger;
debug>

Node.js's debugger client is not a full-featured debugger, but simple step and inspection are possible.

Inserting the statement debugger; into the source code of a script will enable a breakpoint at that position in the code:

// myscript.js
x = 5;
setTimeout(() => {
  debugger;
  console.log('world');
}, 1000);
console.log('hello');

Once the debugger is run, a breakpoint will occur at line 4:

$ node debug myscript.js
< debugger listening on port 5858
connecting... ok
break in /home/indutny/Code/git/indutny/myscript.js:1
  1 x = 5;
  2 setTimeout(() => {
  3   debugger;
debug> cont
< hello
break in /home/indutny/Code/git/indutny/myscript.js:3
  1 x = 5;
  2 setTimeout(() => {
  3   debugger;
  4   console.log('world');
  5 }, 1000);
debug> next
break in /home/indutny/Code/git/indutny/myscript.js:4
  2 setTimeout(() => {
  3   debugger;
  4   console.log('world');
  5 }, 1000);
  6 console.log('hello');
debug> repl
Press Ctrl + C to leave debug repl
> x
5
> 2+2
4
debug> next
< world
break in /home/indutny/Code/git/indutny/myscript.js:5
  3   debugger;
  4   console.log('world');
  5 }, 1000);
  6 console.log('hello');
  7
debug> quit

The repl command allows code to be evaluated remotely. The next command steps to the next line. Type help to see what other commands are available.

Watchers

It is possible to watch expression and variable values while debugging. On every breakpoint, each expression from the watchers list will be evaluated in the current context and displayed immediately before the breakpoint's source code listing.

To begin watching an expression, type watch('my_expression'). The command watchers will print the active watchers. To remove a watcher, type unwatch('my_expression').

Command reference

Stepping

cont, c - Continue execution
next, n - Step next
step, s - Step in
out, o - Step out
pause - Pause running code (like pause button in Developer Tools)

Breakpoints

setBreakpoint(), sb() - Set breakpoint on current line
setBreakpoint(line), sb(line) - Set breakpoint on specific line
setBreakpoint('fn()'), sb(...) - Set breakpoint on a first statement in functions body
setBreakpoint('script.js', 1), sb(...) - Set breakpoint on first line of script.js
clearBreakpoint('script.js', 1), cb(...) - Clear breakpoint in script.js on line 1

It is also possible to set a breakpoint in a file (module) that isn't loaded yet:

$ node debug test/fixtures/break-in-module/main.js
< debugger listening on port 5858
connecting to port 5858... ok
break in test/fixtures/break-in-module/main.js:1
  1 var mod = require('./mod.js');
  2 mod.hello();
  3 mod.hello();
debug> setBreakpoint('mod.js', 23)
Warning: script 'mod.js' was not loaded yet.
  1 var mod = require('./mod.js');
  2 mod.hello();
  3 mod.hello();
debug> c
break in test/fixtures/break-in-module/mod.js:23
 21
 22 exports.hello = () => {
 23   return 'hello from module';
 24 };
 25
debug>

Information

backtrace, bt - Print backtrace of current execution frame
list(5) - List scripts source code with 5 line context (5 lines before and after)
watch(expr) - Add expression to watch list
unwatch(expr) - Remove expression from watch list
watchers - List all watchers and their values (automatically listed on each breakpoint)
repl - Open debugger's repl for evaluation in debugging script's context
exec expr - Execute an expression in debugging script's context

Execution control

run - Run script (automatically runs on debugger's start)
restart - Restart script
kill - Kill script

Various

scripts - List all loaded scripts
version - Display V8's version

Advanced Usage

An alternative way of enabling and accessing the debugger is to start Node.js with the --debug command-line flag or by signaling an existing Node.js process with SIGUSR1.

Once a process has been set in debug mode this way, it can be inspected using the Node.js debugger by either connecting to the pid of the running process or via URI reference to the listening debugger:

node debug -p <pid> - Connects to the process via the pid
node debug <URI> - Connects to the process via the URI such as localhost:5858

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