GitPedia

Pudb

Full-screen console debugger for Python

From inducer·Updated June 17, 2026·View on GitHub·

PuDB: a console-based visual debugger for Python ================================================ The project is written primarily in Python, distributed under the Other license, first published in 2011. It has gained significant community traction with 3,242 stars and 246 forks on GitHub. Key topics include: bpython, debug, debugger, ipython, pdb.

Latest release: v2025.1.5
December 6, 2025View Changelog →

PuDB: a console-based visual debugger for Python

.. image:: https://gitlab.tiker.net/inducer/pudb/badges/main/pipeline.svg
:alt: Gitlab Build Status
:target: https://gitlab.tiker.net/inducer/pudb/commits/main
.. image:: https://github.com/inducer/pudb/actions/workflows/ci.yml/badge.svg
:alt: Github Build Status
:target: https://github.com/inducer/pudb/actions/workflows/ci.yml
.. image:: https://badge.fury.io/py/pudb.png
:alt: Python Package Index Release Page
:target: https://pypi.org/project/pudb/

Its goal is to provide all the niceties of modern GUI-based debuggers in a
more lightweight and keyboard-friendly package. PuDB allows you to debug code
right where you write and test it--in a terminal.

Here are some screenshots:

  • Light theme

    .. image:: doc/images/pudb-screenshot-light.png

  • Dark theme

    .. image:: doc/images/pudb-screenshot-dark.png

You may watch screencasts too:

  • Meet Pudb, a debugger for Python code (2020) <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJYkCWPs_UU>_

  • PuDB Intro Screencast (2009) <http://vimeo.com/5255125>_

Features

  • Syntax-highlighted source, the stack, breakpoints and variables are all
    visible at once and continuously updated. This helps you be more aware of
    what's going on in your program. Variable displays can be expanded, collapsed
    and have various customization options.

  • Pre-bundled themes, including dark themes via "Ctrl-P". Could set a custom theme also.

  • Simple, keyboard-based navigation using single keystrokes makes debugging
    quick and easy. PuDB understands cursor-keys and Vi shortcuts for navigation.
    Other keys are inspired by the corresponding pdb commands.

  • Use search to find relevant source code, or use "m" to invoke the module
    browser that shows loaded modules, lets you load new ones and reload existing
    ones.

  • Breakpoints can be set just by pointing at a source line and hitting "b" and
    then edited visually in the breakpoints window. Or hit "t" to run to the line
    under the cursor.

  • Drop to a Python shell in the current environment by pressing "!".
    Or open a command prompt alongside the source-code via "Ctrl-X".

  • PuDB places special emphasis on exception handling. A post-mortem mode makes
    it easy to retrace a crashing program's last steps.

  • Ability to control the debugger from a separate terminal.

  • IPython integration (see wiki <http://wiki.tiker.net/PuDB>_)

  • Should work with Python 3.6 and newer. (Versions 2019.2 and older continue
    to support Python 2.7.)

PuDB documentation <https://documen.tician.de/pudb>_

PuDB also has a mailing list <http://lists.tiker.net/listinfo/pudb>_ that
you may use to submit patches and requests for help. You can also send a pull
request to the GitHub repository <https://github.com/inducer/pudb>_

Development Version

You may obtain the development version using the Git <http://git-scm.org/>_
version control tool.::

git clone https://github.com/inducer/pudb.git

You may also browse the code <https://github.com/inducer/pudb>_ online.

Contributors

Showing top 12 contributors by commit count.

View all contributors on GitHub →

This article is auto-generated from inducer/pudb via the GitHub API.Last fetched: 6/19/2026