


What are the correct launch.json settings for debugging a C application with GDB on Linux?
Aug 04, 2025 am 03:46 AMTo debug a C application using GDB in Visual Studio Code, configure the launch.json file correctly; key settings include specifying the executable path with "program", setting "MIMode" to "gdb" and "type" to "cppdbg", using "externalConsole" based on your terminal preference, and optionally including "setupCommands" for enhanced debugging experience such as enabling pretty-printing and setting disassembly flavor. Ensure your program is compiled with the -g flag and that the Microsoft C/C extension is installed for cppdbg support.
When you're trying to debug a C application using GDB on Linux in Visual Studio Code, the key is having a properly configured launch.json
file. The setup needs to tell VS Code how to start GDB, what program to run, and how to attach it to the debugger.

Basic Structure of launch.json
A minimal but functional configuration typically looks like this:

{ "version": "0.2.0", "configurations": [ { "name": "C Debug with GDB", "type": "cppdbg", "request": "launch", "program": "${workspaceFolder}/your_program_name", "args": [], "stopAtEntry": false, "cwd": "${fileDir}", "environment": [], "externalConsole": true, "MIMode": "gdb", "setupCommands": [ { "description": "Enable pretty-printing for gdb", "text": "-enable-pretty-printing", "ignoreFailures": true } ] } ] }
Let’s break down the important parts and explain what they do and why they matter.
Key Settings Explained
"program"
: Pointing to the Executable
This line tells VS Code which compiled binary to debug.
Make sure your program is compiled with the -g
flag (e.g., g -g main.cpp -o myapp
) so that debug symbols are included.

Example: If your compiled executable is in the root folder and named
myapp
, set"program": "${workspaceFolder}/myapp"
You can also use variables like ${workspaceFolder}
or ${fileDir}
to make it more flexible across different setups.
"MIMode": "gdb"
and "type": "cppdbg"
These two settings specify that you're using GDB as the debugger backend and the Microsoft extension (cppdbg
) to interface with it.
Make sure the C/C extension by Microsoft is installed — otherwise,
cppdbg
won’t work.
Also, if you're using LLDB instead of GDB, these values would change. But for standard Linux setups with GDB, stick with the defaults shown above.
"externalConsole": true
Setting this to true
opens a new terminal window when debugging starts. This is useful because sometimes input/output doesn't behave correctly inside the internal debug console.
However, if you want everything in one window and don’t need interactive input, you can safely set it to false
.
Tip: On some systems, especially WSL or remote setups, setting this to
false
avoids issues with external terminals not launching correctly.
Optional but Helpful: Setup Commands
The "setupCommands"
section lets you send commands to GDB right after it starts.
Commonly used ones include:
- Enabling pretty printing for STL containers
- Setting specific debugger options
Here's an expanded version that includes a few more useful commands:
"setupCommands": [ { "description": "Enable pretty-printing for gdb", "text": "-enable-pretty-printing", "ignoreFailures": true }, { "description": "Set disassembly flavor to intel", "text": "set disassembly-flavor intel", "ignoreFailures": true } ]
These help improve readability during low-level debugging.
Final Notes
Once your launch.json
is set up, just make sure your code compiles with debug symbols and you have breakpoints set. You should be able to hit F5 and step through your code.
Of course, there are many optional settings you can add — like environment variables, custom working directories, or even post-launch commands — but for most basic setups, the above is more than enough.
And that’s about it — nothing too fancy, but easy to get wrong if one path or flag is off.
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