openmcpgdb

openmcpgdb is an asynchronous Rust MCP server for debugging native programs through GDB. It is implemented with the rmcp crate and exposes a full gdb_* tool API for MCP clients (Codex, Claude Code, opencode-compatible clients).

Features

• MCP server built with rmcp (tools/list, tools/call support).
• One dedicated worker thread per MCP client session.
• GDB process isolation per client.
• Configurable display windows for source, backtrace, and watched variables.
• Transport modes:
  • https://... and http://... streamable HTTP mode (default)
  • stdio://... for stdio MCP wiring when needed
• Interactive MCP test client binary included.
• Rust tests include:
  • in-process MCP server/client connectivity
  • tool-call coverage
  • integration test against examples/mazerobot/maze_robot

Quick Start

1. Download and Run

git clone https://github.com/BrosnanYuen/openmcpgdb.git
cd openmcpgdb
# Change the settings to point to your codebase and executable
# Use HTTP for server compatibility 
vim config.json
# Run MCP server
cargo run --bin  openmcpgdb  -- config.json 

2. Add to Claude Code claude.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "openmcpgdb": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "http://localhost:9443"
    }
  }
}

3. Add to Openai Codex config.toml config

[mcp_servers.openmcpgdb]
url = "http://localhost:9443"
enabled = true

4. Add to opencode.json config

{
  "$schema": "https://opencode.ai/config.json",
  "mcp": {
    "openmcpgdb": {
      "type": "remote",
      "url": "http://localhost:9443",
      "enabled": true
    }
  }
}

5. Give short version guide LLM_short.md to your LLM. If it doesn't work then use long version LLM.md

Requirements

• Rust toolchain (stable)
• GDB at an absolute path (default /usr/bin/gdb)
• Linux/macOS environment for the provided examples

Project Layout

• src/main.rs: server entrypoint
• src/runtime.rs: transport/runtime bootstrapping
• src/server.rs: MCP tool routing and handlers
• src/session.rs: per-client worker thread and operation execution
• src/gdb.rs: real and mock GDB backends
• src/bin/interactive_client.rs: interactive MCP client
• tests/mazerobot_mcp_client.rs: integration MCP client test against mazerobot
• config.json: default config template

Configuration

The server loads JSON config from the first CLI argument, defaulting to config.json in project root.

All filesystem paths must be absolute.

Example:

{
  "gdb_path": "/usr/bin/gdb",
  "gdb_options": "",
  "codebase_dir": "/home/brosnan/openmcpgdb/openmcpgdb/examples/mazerobot",
  "executable_path": "/home/brosnan/openmcpgdb/openmcpgdb/examples/mazerobot/maze_robot",
  "mcp_server_name": "MCP GDB Server",
  "mcp_server_url": "https://localhost:9443",
  "display_lines_before_current": 7,
  "display_lines_after_current": 8,
  "display_backtrace": 50,
  "display_variable_list": 20,
  "display_join_current_code": true
}

display_join_current_code controls how current_code is returned:

• false: object map keyed by line number
• true: single joined string in the format line | source with newline separators

mcp_server_url

• Default: https://localhost:9443
• http://host:port/path or https://host:port/path: run streamable HTTP on that bind address/path.
• stdio://...: run MCP over stdio.

Note: https:// is parsed and accepted, but this project currently binds plain TCP HTTP directly. For real TLS, run behind a TLS-terminating reverse proxy.

Build

cargo build

Run the MCP Server

1. Default HTTPS URL mode

Use default config:

cargo run --bin openmcpgdb -- config.json

2. HTTP/HTTPS custom URL mode

Set config URL, for example:

"mcp_server_url": "https://localhost:9443"

Run:

cargo run --bin openmcpgdb -- config.json

3. Optional stdio mode

Set:

"mcp_server_url": "stdio://local"

Run:

cargo run --bin openmcpgdb -- config.json

Interactive MCP Client

An interactive MCP client is included for manual testing against HTTP server mode.

Run:

cargo run --bin interactive_client -- config.json

Input format:

<tool_name> <json-args>

Examples of Debugging on local GDB:

gdb_execute {"executable_path":"/home/brosnan/openmcpgdb/openmcpgdb/examples/mazerobot/maze_robot"}
gdb_debugger_state {}
gdb_add_variable_list {"var":"robot_state"}
gdb_add_breakpoint {"filename":"/home/brosnan/openmcpgdb/openmcpgdb/examples/mazerobot/src/main.c","linenumber":20}
gdb_run {}
gdb_next {}
gdb_step {}
gdb_print {"var":"counter"}
gdb_full_backtrace {}
gdb_continue {}
gdb_quit {}
gdb_reset_back_to_not_attached {}

Examples of Debugging on gdbserver on exsisting PID:

gdb_gdbserver {"ip":"127.0.0.1","port":11444,"pid":149104}
gdb_target_remote {"ip":"127.0.0.1","port":11444}
gdb_debugger_state {}
gdb_add_variable_list {"var":"robot_state"}
gdb_add_breakpoint {"filename":"/home/brosnan/openmcpgdb/openmcpgdb/examples/mazerobot/src/main.c","linenumber":20}
gdb_continue {}
gdb_next {}
gdb_step {}
gdb_print {"var":"counter"}
gdb_full_backtrace {}
gdb_quit {}
gdb_reset_back_to_not_attached {}

Type quit to exit the interactive client.

Use With MCP Clients

This server is compatible with MCP clients that support either:

• command-based stdio servers
• streamable HTTP servers

opencode (stdio recommended)

Use MCP server command settings pointing to:

cargo run --bin openmcpgdb -- /home/brosnan/openmcpgdb/openmcpgdb/config.json

And set in config:

"mcp_server_url": "stdio://local"

OpenAI Codex clients

You can use either mode:

1. stdio mode:

• server command:

cargo run --bin openmcpgdb -- /home/brosnan/openmcpgdb/openmcpgdb/config.json

• config URL:

"mcp_server_url": "stdio://local"

2. HTTP mode:

• run server with:

"mcp_server_url": "https://localhost:9443"

• connect client MCP endpoint to:

http://localhost:9443

Claude Code clients

For local development, prefer stdio:

cargo run --bin openmcpgdb -- /home/brosnan/openmcpgdb/openmcpgdb/config.json

with:

"mcp_server_url": "stdio://local"

If you use HTTP transport, point the client to:

http://localhost:9443

Important transport note

https://localhost:9443 is accepted in this project config as a default URL shape, but the current server bind is plain HTTP.
For true TLS HTTPS, run behind a TLS reverse proxy and expose an HTTPS endpoint there.

Tool API

All tool responses include debugger_state and optional fields like variable_list, backtrace, current_code*, and error.

debugger_state values

• not attached
• failed to attach
• gdbserver attached
• attached
• stopped at breakpoint
• stopped at stepping
• running
• sigsegv
• sigabrt
• sigbus
• sigfpe
• sigill
• sigtrap
• sigterm
• sigkill
• exited
• error

Execution/session

• gdb_execute(executable_path)
• gdb_run()
• gdb_gdbserver(ip, port, pid)
• gdb_target_remote(ip, port)
• gdb_set_thread(id)
• gdb_set_frame(id)

Breakpoints

• gdb_add_breakpoint(filename, linenumber)
• gdb_clear_breakpoint(filename, linenumber)
• gdb_enable_breakpoint(filename, linenumber)
• gdb_disable_breakpoint(filename, linenumber)
• gdb_list_breakpoint()

Stepping

• gdb_next()
• gdb_step()
• gdb_continue()
• gdb_interrupt()

Variable watch list

• gdb_add_variable_list(var)
• gdb_del_variable_list(var)
• gdb_variable_list()

Inspection

• gdb_debugger_state()
• gdb_current_code()
• gdb_full_backtrace()
• gdb_info_threads()
• gdb_info_regs()
• gdb_print(var)
• gdb_set_var(var, value)

Control/config/custom

• gdb_quit()
• gdb_kill()
• gdb_reset_back_to_not_attached()
• gdb_display_lines_before_current(size)
• gdb_display_lines_after_current(size)
• gdb_display_backtrace(size)
• gdb_display_variable_list(size)
• gdb_custom(cmd)

Testing

Run all tests:

cargo test

Included test coverage:

• MCP server starts and MCP client connects.
• Unit-style all-tool-call response checks.
• Integration test starting MCP server with:
  • codebase: /home/brosnan/openmcpgdb/openmcpgdb/examples/mazerobot/
  • binary: /home/brosnan/openmcpgdb/openmcpgdb/examples/mazerobot/maze_robot
  • MCP client in tests/mazerobot_mcp_client.rs