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Debugging C++ with Breakpoints in Cursor

Learn how to effectively use breakpoints to debug C++ applications in Cursor. This guide covers setup, configuration, and best practices for C++ debugging.

Setup Requirements​

1. Required Tools Installation​

  • Install GDB (GNU Debugger)
  • Install C++ compiler (GCC/G++ or Clang)
  • Install build tools (Make/CMake)

2. Cursor Configuration​

  • Install C/C++ extension
  • Configure debug settings
  • Configure build tasks

Creating Debug Configuration​

Tip: Create or edit a launch.json file to configure debugging for your C++ project.

/your_program",
            "args": [],
            "stopAtEntry": false,
            "cwd": "$",
            "environment": [],
            "externalConsole": false,
            "MIMode": "gdb"
        }
    ]
}

Using Breakpoints​

1. Setting Breakpoints​

  • Click on the line's left margin
  • Use F9 key
  • Right-click line and select "Toggle Breakpoint"

2. Breakpoint Types​

  • Line breakpoints
  • Conditional breakpoints
  • Function breakpoints
  • Data breakpoints

3. Managing Breakpoints​

  • Enable/disable individually
  • Enable/disable all
  • Remove breakpoints
  • Set conditions

Debugging Process​

1. Starting Debug​

  • Press F5
  • Select "Start Debugging" from menu
  • Click debug icon

2. Execution Control​

  • Step over (F10)
  • Step into (F11)
  • Step out (Shift+F11)
  • Continue (F5)

3. Variable Inspection​

  • Watch window
  • Variables panel
  • Memory view
  • Call stack

Advanced Features​

1. Expression Evaluation​

  • Watch expressions
  • Hover evaluation
  • Debug console

2. Memory Inspection​

  • View memory contents
  • Track memory changes
  • Detect memory leaks

3. Multi-thread Debugging​

  • Switch between threads
  • Per-thread breakpoints
  • Thread state monitoring

Best Practices​

1. Efficient Debugging​

Tip: Use meaningful breakpoints and leverage conditional breakpoints to find issues quickly.

  • Use meaningful breakpoints
  • Leverage conditional breakpoints
  • Clean up unused breakpoints

2. Performance Considerations​

Warning: Debug builds can be much slower than release builds. Use optimized debug builds when possible.

  • Minimize debug symbols in release builds
  • Use optimized debug builds
  • Perform profiling during debugging

3. Code Organization​

  • Structure debug output
  • Clear error handling
  • Consistent logging

Debugging Session Examples​

Basic Debug Session Setup​

#include 

int main()

Conditional Breakpoint Example​

// Break when x > 100
for(int x = 0; x < 1000; x++)

Last Updated: April 2025

Keywords: cursor, cursor editor, cpp debugging, c++ debugging, breakpoints, gdb debugging, debug configuration