Delve
Delve is a debugger for programs written in Go, with command-line tools for debugging, executing, and testing code.
What Delve is
Delve is a debugger for programs written in Go, with command-line tools for debugging, executing, and testing code. It lets developers control program execution, evaluate variables, and inspect threads, goroutines, and CPU register state. Its commands cover attaching to a running process, working with packages or precompiled binaries, tracing a program, examining a core dump, and replaying an rr trace. A headless Delve instance can serve a separate client through a JSON-RPC 1.0 API, available in APIv1 and APIv2, with controls such as halt, continue, next, step, and stepout. The project lists integrations for GoLand, IntelliJ IDEA, Vim and Neovim, Visual Studio Code, Emacs, and other editors. Pre-built binaries are available for Linux, macOS, and Windows, and installation through Go is documented. Listed supported targets are Linux amd64, arm64, and 386; Windows amd64; and macOS amd64. The project also documents installation on FreeBSD, but its FAQ says other unsupported operating systems and architectures have no planned support ETA. Delve is MIT-licensed.
Good
- Controls execution and inspects runtime state
- Supports core dump debugging and rr replay
- Integrates with several editors
- Free and MIT-licensed
Watch out
- Headless connections are unauthenticated
- Headless access can allow remote code execution
- Supported architecture combinations are limited
Who it suits
Delve suits Go developers who need command-line debugging, editor integrations, or inspection of core dumps. It may also suit users building a separate client around its headless API, provided they account for the security warning.
Verdict
Delve provides Go-focused debugging across command-line workflows, editor integrations, and a headless API. Avoid exposing headless remote connections in production, and check the listed target combinations before installing.
The facts
Each one read from Delve's own pages, with the date it was checked.
What it does
- Alternative interfaces
- The project lists Gdlv and Debugger as alternative user interfaces for Delve.checked 30 Sep 2026
- Architecture limits
- The FAQ says other operating systems and architectures are unsupported and have no planned support ETA.checked 30 Sep 2026
- Client API
- A headless Delve instance exposes an API built on JSON-RPC 1.0, with APIv1 and APIv2 versions.checked 30 Sep 2026
- Debug commands
- Its documented commands include attaching to a running process, debugging or testing a package, executing a precompiled binary, tracing a program, examining a core dump, and replaying an rr trace.checked 30 Sep 2026
- Debugger controls
- Its API supports commands including halt, continue, next, step, and stepout.checked 30 Sep 2026
- Debugging
- It lets users control program execution, evaluate variables, and inspect thread, goroutine, and CPU register state.checked 30 Sep 2026
- Debugging modes
- The command line supports debugging, executing, and testing programs, including headless mode for a separate client.checked 30 Sep 2026
- Downloads
- Pre-built binaries are available for Linux, macOS, and Windows, and the project also documents installation with Go.checked 30 Sep 2026
- Editor integrations
- The project lists integrations for GoLand, IntelliJ IDEA, Vim and Neovim, Visual Studio Code, Emacs, and other editors.checked 30 Sep 2026
- Installation requirement
- The documented Go installation command requires Go version 1.16 or later.checked 30 Sep 2026
- License
- The repository identifies its license as MIT.checked 30 Sep 2026
- Operating systems
- The installation guide says its instructions are known to work on Linux, macOS, Windows, and FreeBSD.checked 30 Sep 2026
- Purpose
- Delve is a debugger for the Go programming language, designed to be simple to invoke and use.checked 30 Sep 2026
- Release verification
- Installation documentation describes verifying release checksums with cosign and sha256sum.checked 30 Sep 2026
- Remote debugging
- Delve supports remote debugging and recommends SSH tunnels or a VPN when connecting remotely.checked 30 Sep 2026
- Remote debugging guidance
- For remote debugging, the FAQ recommends avoiding public networks and using SSH tunnels or a VPN if remote access is necessary.checked 30 Sep 2026
- Remote debugging security
- The FAQ warns that headless remote connections are unauthenticated and can allow arbitrary remote code execution, and says not to use this setup in production.checked 30 Sep 2026
- Security
- The FAQ warns that headless connections are unauthenticated and allow arbitrary remote code execution, and says not to use them in production.checked 30 Sep 2026
- Support
- The project says its GitHub issue tracker is for bug reports and directs feature proposals and discussions to the developer mailing list.checked 30 Sep 2026
- Support channel
- The README says the issue tracker is for bugs and directs feature proposals and discussions to the developer mailing list.checked 30 Sep 2026
- Supported systems
- The FAQ lists Linux on amd64, arm64, and 386, Windows on amd64, and macOS on amd64 as supported combinations.checked 30 Sep 2026
- Supported targets
- The FAQ lists Linux amd64, arm64, and 386; Windows amd64; and macOS amd64, and says there is no planned ETA for other operating systems or architectures.checked 30 Sep 2026
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