LXR Cross Referencer
- Android app
- Not listed
- Free plan
- Yes
- Runs on
- Linux, self-hosted, Web
Summary
LXR Cross Referencer indexes source code and creates web pages that link identifiers to their definitions and uses. The project says it can handle projects beyond the Linux kernel, and describes uses such as following development or studying a codebase from scratch. LXR produces standard HTML for viewing in available web browsers and can work with a web server that supports CGI scripts. Setup involves installing LXR, configuring a database, loading source-tree data, and configuring the web server. Listed database options are MySQL, Oracle, PostgreSQL, and SQLite; source storage choices include files, CVS, Git, Subversion, and BitKeeper. Version 2.3 adds full-text search for source management repositories other than CVS and BitKeeper, provided users accept checking out repository sources. Its language parsers identify character sequences resembling identifiers rather than parsing at compiler-grade depth. Browsing the database is read-only, while genxref has write access. LXR is free, open-source software for self-hosted Linux and web environments. The project directs users to its forum and trackers to contact developers or report issues.
Who it is for
LXR may suit developers who want to browse source code through a web interface or monitor a project during development. It requires users to set up the database and web server themselves.
What is good
- Links identifiers to definitions and uses.
- Supports multiple source storage options.
- Database browsing access is read-only.
- Free, open-source, and self-hosted.
What to know first
- Installation requires database and web-server configuration.
- Language parsers are not compiler-grade.
- Full-text search excludes CVS and BitKeeper repositories.
Verdict
LXR offers web-based source navigation for projects beyond the Linux kernel, with setup handled by the user. Its parser limitations and repository-specific search support are worth weighing before deployment.
LXR Cross Referencer plans and pricing
All plansCompared on code search tools
- Indexing scope
- codebaselxr.sourceforge.io
- Deployment
- self_hostedlxr.sourceforge.io
- Code navigation
- Yeslxr.sourceforge.io
Facts
- Purpose
- LXR indexes and cross-references source code for web browsing, linking identifiers to their definitions and uses.lxr.sourceforge.io · 4 Oct 2026
- Project scope
- The project says it can cross-reference projects beyond the Linux kernel.lxr.sourceforge.io · 4 Oct 2026
- Browser output
- LXR produces regular HTML that can be viewed in available web browsers.lxr.sourceforge.io · 4 Oct 2026
- Server requirement
- The project says any web server with CGI-script capability should work.lxr.sourceforge.io · 4 Oct 2026
- Installation
- The installation guide instructs users to install LXR source, configure a database, populate it with source-tree data, and configure a web server.lxr.sourceforge.io · 4 Oct 2026
- Database choices
- The configuration guide lists MySQL, Oracle, PostgreSQL, and SQLite as database choices.lxr.sourceforge.io · 4 Oct 2026
- Search
- LXR 2.3 adds full-text search for source management repositories except CVS and BitKeeper, if users accept checking out repository sources.lxr.sourceforge.io · 4 Oct 2026
- Version control
- The installation configuration lists files, CVS, Git, Subversion, and BitKeeper as source-tree storage options.lxr.sourceforge.io · 4 Oct 2026
- Security
- The feature log says release 2.3 added protection against a vulnerability that allowed arbitrary command execution.lxr.sourceforge.io · 4 Oct 2026
- Database access
- The feature log says browsing access to the database is read-only, with write access reserved for genxref.lxr.sourceforge.io · 4 Oct 2026
- Parser limits
- The limitations page says language parsers are not compiler-grade and lexically extract character sequences that look like identifiers.lxr.sourceforge.io · 4 Oct 2026
- Support
- The project directs users to its forum and trackers to contact developers and report issues.lxr.sourceforge.io · 4 Oct 2026
- Release location
- The official site says new releases are being migrated to Codeberg and will only be posted there.lxr.sourceforge.io · 4 Oct 2026
- Intended use
- The project describes LXR as useful for monitoring a project during development and studying source code from scratch.lxr.sourceforge.io · 4 Oct 2026
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Sources
- lxr.sourceforge.io/en/index.php· checked 4 Oct 2026
- lxr.sourceforge.io/en/1-0-InstallSteps/1-0-install.php· checked 4 Oct 2026
- lxr.sourceforge.io/en/1-0-InstallSteps/1-0-install3config.· checked 4 Oct 2026
- lxr.sourceforge.io/en/newfeatures.php· checked 4 Oct 2026
- lxr.sourceforge.io/en/bugsandlimits.php· checked 4 Oct 2026