GDBINIT(5)

📦
version 17.2 · 5 versions
, in ubuntu stonking

✨ GDBINIT(5) ✨ — the GDB init files, bestie edition 💖

okay so this is the page about the startup scripts for GDB, from the GNU Development Tools manual. it's <pink>gdb-17.2</pink>, dated <lavender>2026-05-17</lavender>. let's get into it 🫶

🌸 NAME 🌸

gdbinit — GDB initialization scripts. that's it, that's the vibe.

✨ SYNOPSIS ✨

~/.config/gdb/gdbinit

~/.gdbinit

./.gdbinit

those three paths. memorize them. iykyk 💅

💜 DESCRIPTION 💜

These files contain GDB commands to automatically execute during GDB startup. The lines of contents are canned sequences of commands, described in the GDB manual in node "Sequences" — shell command info -f gdb -n Sequences.

Please read more in the GDB manual in node "Startup" — shell command info -f gdb -n Startup.

so basically: these are the little notes you leave for GDB so it just does stuff when it boots up. iconic behavior honestly. 💅

🧚 the actual files 🧚

  • (not enabled with --with-system-gdbinit during compilation) — System-wide initialization file. It is executed unless user specified GDB option -nx or -n. See more in the GDB manual in node "System-wide configuration" — shell command info -f gdb -n 'System-wide configuration'.
heads up bestie: this one literally doesn't exist unless the build was compiled with that flag. it's giving "optional feature", not "broken". 😭
  • (not enabled with --with-system-gdbinit-dir during compilation) — System-wide initialization directory. All files in this directory are executed on startup unless user specified GDB option -nx or -n, as long as they have a recognized file extension. See more in the GDB manual in node "System-wide configuration" — shell command info -f gdb -n 'System-wide configuration'.
same deal, same flag-energy: not enabled unless --with-system-gdbinit-dir was passed at compile time. also it only runs files with a recognized file extension — random junk in there gets ignored, no cap. 💀
  • ~/.config/gdb/gdbinit or ~/.gdbinit — User initialization file. It is executed unless user specified GDB options -nx, -n or -nh.
this is your file. your moment. your main character energy. 👑
  • .gdbinit — Initialization file for current directory. It may need to be enabled with GDB security command set auto-load local-gdbinit. See more in the GDB manual in node "Init File in the Current Directory" — shell command info -f gdb -n 'Init File in the Current Directory'.
lowkey important: this one is a security thing. it might be sitting there doing absolutely nothing until you flip on set auto-load local-gdbinit. so if your local .gdbinit isn't running, that's why, and it's on purpose. 🎀

👑 OPTIONS 👑

(empty. nothing here. a whole section with no content — it's giving minimalist. not me pointing at an empty heading 💀)

🌈 ENVIRONMENT 🌈

(also empty! no environment variables were harmed in the making of this manpage ✨)

🔥 SEE ALSO 🔥

  • gdb(1), info -f gdb -n Startup
  • The full documentation for GDB is maintained as a Texinfo manual. If the info and gdb programs and GDB's Texinfo documentation are properly installed at your site, the command
info gdb

should give you access to the complete manual.

  • Using GDB: A Guide to the GNU Source-Level Debugger, Richard M. Stallman and Roland H. Pesch, July 1991.

so yeah — if you want the full lore, info gdb is your bestie. go read it. it's a whole saga. 📚

Copyright (c) 1988-2025 Free Software Foundation, Inc.

Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.3 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with the Invariant Sections being "Free Software" and "Free Software Needs Free Documentation", with the Front-Cover Texts being "A GNU Manual," and with the Back-Cover Texts as in (a) below.

(a) The FSF's Back-Cover Text is: "You are free to copy and modify this GNU Manual. Buying copies from GNU Press supports the FSF in developing GNU and promoting software freedom."

and that's the whole page, bestie!! 🎀 this was GDBINIT(5) from gdb-17.2, last touched 2026-05-17, straight out of the GNU Development Tools manual. go config your gdbinit and slay 💅💖✨

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