Debugger Core API
Official

The Debugger Core API module defines common structures for integration of debugger implementations into NetBeans IDE.

See:
Description

Debugger Core API

org.netbeans.api.debugger	The NetBeans Debugger Core API definition.
org.netbeans.spi.debugger	The NetBeans Debugger SPI definition defines interface to Debugger Plug-ins.

The Debugger Core API module defines common structures for integration of debugger implementations into NetBeans IDE.
List of APIs:

• DebuggerCoreAPI Debugger Core APIs
• DebuggerCoreSPI Debugger Core SPIs
• Meta-inf-debugger-org.netbeans.api.debugger.Properties-Reader Loads all property readers from given folder.
• Meta-inf-debugger-DebuggerInfo-ID-org.netbeans.spi.debugger.SessionProvider Loads all session providers for specific DebuggerInfo.
• Meta-inf-debugger-DebuggerInfo-ID-org.netbeans.spi.debugger.DelegatingSessionProvider Loads all delegating session providers for specific DebuggerInfo.
• Meta-inf-debugger-DebuggerInfo-ID-org.netbeans.spi.debugger.DebuggerEngineProvider Loads all debugger engine providers for specific DebuggerInfo.
• Meta-inf-debugger-DebuggerInfo-ID-org.netbeans.spi.debugger.DelegatingDebuggerEngineProvider Loads all delegating debugger engine providers for specific DebuggerInfo.
• Meta-inf-debugger-Session-ID-org.netbeans.spi.debugger.DebuggerEngineProvider Loads all debugger engine providers for specific Session.
• Meta-inf-debugger-Session-ID-org.netbeans.spi.debugger.DelegatingDebuggerEngineProvider Loads all delegating debugger engine providers for specific Session.
• Meta-inf-debugger-org.netbeans.api.debugger.LazyDebuggerManagerListener Loads all debbugger manager listeners and adds them to DebuggerManager.getDebuggerManager () instance.
• Meta-inf-debugger-org.netbeans.spi.debugger.ActionsProvider Loads all action providers for DebuggerManager context.
• Meta-inf-debugger-DebuggerEngine-ID-org.netbeans.spi.debugger.ActionsProvider Loads all action providers for DebuggerEngine (language) context.
• Meta-inf-debugger-Session-ID-org.netbeans.spi.debugger.ActionsProvider Loads all action providers for Session context.
• Meta-inf-debugger-DebuggerInfo-ID-org.netbeans.spi.debugger.ActionsProvider Loads all action providers for DebuggerInfo context.
• netbeans.debugger.registration Writes registration log to console.

What is New (see all changes)?

• Mar 1 '08 Use of some generic types in API; ContextProvider implemented more broadly; DebuggerManager.join

  ContextProvider is now properly generified, and implemented also by:

  • DebuggerEngine
  • DebuggerInfo
  • DebuggerManager
  • Session

  The new method DebuggerManager.join can be used to merge lookup lists easily.

• May 21 '07 Add filter for hit counts to breakpoints.

  To be able to set breakpoint for number of iterations, we need to add a filter for hit counts into Breakpoint API.

  Added methods:
  Breakpoint.getHitCountFilter(), Breakpoint.getHitCountFilteringStyle(), Breakpoint.setHitCountFilter().

  Added fields:
  Breakpoint.PROP_HIT_COUNT_FILTER, Breakpoint.HIT_COUNT_FILTERING_STYLE.

• Feb 21 '07 Support for breakpoint validity.

  Added fields: Breakpoint.PROP_VALIDITY - This constant is used in property change events as a notification about change in validity.
  Breakpoint.VALIDITY - enumeration of constants for breakpoint validity.

  Added methods: Breakpoint.getValidity(), Breakpoint.getValidityMessage(), Breakpoint.setValidity() - validity management.

• Feb 1 '07 Support for stepping over operations.

  Added fields: ActionsManager.ACTION_STEP_OPERATION, This constant is used in action performer which implements an operation step.

• Aug 24 '05 Debugger actions can be posted asynchronously.

  Added methods: ActionsManager.postAction(Object), ActionsProvider.postAction(Object, Runnable), These can be used to call and implement asynchronous actions.

Use Cases

UseCase I. - Install and use CPP debugger plug-in to NetBeans + Java Debugger.

CPP debugger plug-in installs support for debugging of some new language to the NetBeans IDE, and some new debugging engine. This implementation of debugger should share UI components (actions, Debugger Views, ...) with default NB Java Debugger. It should share basic debugger model too - notion of current context, current session, thread, call stack line, ...

CPP debugger plug-in installs:

• New set of breakpoint types - CPPLineBreakpointType, CPPMethodBreakpointType...
  • This set of breakpoint types will have special cathegory in Add Breakpoint Dialog called "CPP". Each breakpoint type will install a new JPanel to Add Breakpoint Dialog.
  • ToggleBreakpointAction on CPP files will create / remove a instance of CPPLineBreakpointType.
• Install some watches evaluator for CPP language.
• Some new View to Debugger Window
• Use Termilnal Emulator in Output Window as command line interface to CPP debugger plug-in.
• Install / uninstall a columns to / from standard Debugger Window Views.
• Redefine Nodes used for representation of CPP threads, watches, variables, callstacks, sessions and breakpoints
  • Add / remove some properties
    
  • Add / remove some actions
  • change icons
  • change display names
• Register CPP Actions for:
  • Step Into, Over, Out, Continue, Pause, Start, Kill, Restart, Finish
• Some new CPP specific actions.

UseCase II. - Install and use JSP debugger plug-in to NetBeans + Java Debugger.

JSP debugger plug-in installs support for debugging of some new language to the NetBeans Java Debugger. It does not contain a new debugger engine, but it delegates to standard NB Java debugger. So it does not depends on Debugger Core API only, but it depends on JavaDebugger API too.

JSP debugger plug-in installs:

• New set of breakpoint types - JSPLineBreakpointType, ...
  • This set of breakpoint types will have special cathegory in Add Breakpoint Dialog called "JSP". Each breakpoint type will install a new JPanel to Add Breakpoint Dialog.
  • ToggleBreakpointAction on JSP files will create / remove a instance of JSPLineBreakpointType.
  • JSPLineBreakpointType delegates all functionality to JPDAClassBreakpoint and JPDALineBreakpoint
    
• Some watches evaluator for JSP language expression. This evaluator delegates evaluation of Java expressions to standard JavaExpressionEvaluator.
  
• Redefine Nodes used for representation of JSP callstacks and breakpoints
  • Add / remove some properties
    
  • Add / remove some actions
  • change icons
  • change display names
• Register JSP Actions for:
  • Step Into, Over, Out
  • Implementation of this actions delegates to standard Java Step actions - it redefines Java stepping functionality.
• JSP debugger plug in adds support for new programming language (JSP) to already running Java Session.
  

UseCase III. - Install and use J2EE debugger plug-in to NetBeans + Java Debugger.

J2EE debugger plug-in installs some enhancements to the standard Java Debugger. It does not contain a new debugger engine or language support. So it does not depends on Debugger Core API only, but it depends on JavaDebugger API too.

J2EE debugger plug-in installs:

• New set of breakpoint types
• Filter for Threads and Callstack Views. This filter should allow to:
  
  • Add / remove / modify nodes in this views.
• Redefine Stepping (Smart Stepping) behaviour of default Java Debugger.
• Some new View to Debugger Window

UseCase IV. - Install and use DBX debugger plug-in to NetBeans.

DBX debugger plug-in installs support for debugging of some new language (CPP) to the NetBeans IDE, and some new debugging engine. But it contains debugger engine for Java debugging too. DBX debugger engine has its own session management (or will have in the next versions). One debugger engine can manage more than one sessions. One engine supports debugging in more than one language.

UseCase V. - Implement Debugger Core UI module on top of Debugger Core API / SPI.

Debugger Core UI needs:

• List all breakpoint types and all breakpoint cathegories.
• Visually customize all breakpoints - some panel.
• Add / remove breakpoints.
• Add / remove watches.
  
• Represent breakpoints, threads, thread groups, watches, sessions, call stack frames, locales, and fields as Nodes in NB Explorer View.
• List all threads, thread groups, locales, watches, breakpoints, callstack frames, and fields.
• Listen on changes of hierarchy of threads, thread groups, locales, watches, breakpoints, callstack frames, and fields.
• Some current context definition. Current contet should define current session, language, thread, and call stack line.

Exported Interfaces

This table lists all of the module exported APIs with defined stability classifications. It is generated based on answers to questions about the architecture of the module. Read them all...

Group of java interfaces

Interface Name	In/Out	Stability	Specified in What Document?
DebuggerCoreAPI	Exported	Official	../org-netbeans-api-debugger

Group of lookup interfaces

Interface Name

In/Out

Stability

Specified in What Document?

Group of property interfaces

Interface Name

In/Out

Stability

Specified in What Document?

Implementation Details

Where are the sources for the module?

The sources for the module are in the NetBeans Mercurial repositories.

What do other modules need to do to declare a dependency on this one, in addition to or instead of a plain module dependency?

Nothing.

Read more about the implementation in the answers to architecture questions.