CLion Tutorial – Embedded GDB Server

Operating System: Windows (MinGW or MinGW-w64) / Linux / macOS
Required Tools: Debug probe with software, cross-compiler toolchain
Build Targets: CMake / Makefile / Custom build targets

To debug on the chip, you need to create a special run/debug configuration. In CLion, you can quickly create the following GDB server configurations using the "New Embedded Configuration" wizard:

• Segger J-Link GDB Server

• Qemu as GDB Server

• PyOCD

• st-util (Open-source GDB server for ST-LINK debug probe)

• ST-LINK_gdbserver (part of STM32CubeIDE)

• PEmicro (OpenSDA)

You can also create a run/debug configuration for any debug probe software that complies with the GDB server protocol. To do this, add a new “Embedded GDB Server” configuration from the “Run/Debug Configurations” dialog.

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Before You Start

1. Configure the cross-compilation toolchain.

   On Windows, switch to the System toolchain (recommended). Alternatively, you can use the MinGW / MinGW-w64 environment.

2. Ensure that the selected GDB server is installed on your computer. You do not need to start it manually: the configuration will automatically run the GDB server when you start the debugging session.

Create Embedded GDB Server Configuration

1. Select “Run | New Embedded Configuration” from the main menu.

2. In the opened wizard, set the following:

   

• Always: Every time a debugging session is started.

• If updated: Only when the binary file changes.

• None: Skip downloading.

• GDB Server Type: Select the type of GDB server. CLion will automatically predefine the parameters required for this server.

• Location: Specify the full path to the binary file to be used as the GDB server.

  For the STM32CubeIDE ST-LINK GDB server, specify the path to the STM32CubeIDE binary file.

  For PE-Micro, specify the path to the platform-specific binary file.

• Debugger: Choose the GDB debugger that will run on the CLion side and connect to the remote GDB server. Use the bundled GDB or your custom GDB binary.

• Target and Executable Binary: Select the target to build and the executable binary to be downloaded to the device.

• Download Executable File: Specify when to download the executable binary to the target device:

• TCP/IP Port: Specify the port of the GDB server explicitly, or leave it blank to use a random port.

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