# Edebug

> a source-level debugger for Emacs Lisp

**Wikidata**: [Q113115656](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q113115656)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/edebug

## Summary
Edebug is a source-level debugger for Emacs Lisp, implemented in Emacs Lisp and distributed as part of GNU Emacs. It is free-software–aligned code (alias edebug.el) with source available in the GNU Emacs repositories and documented in the GNU Emacs manual.

## Key Facts
- Edebug is a source-level debugger for Emacs Lisp.
- Alias: edebug.el.
- Creator: Daniel LaLiberte.
- Platform: GNU Emacs.
- Programming language: Emacs Lisp (Emacs Lisp inception: 1985).
- Instance of: free software; software library; debugger.
- License: Q27016754.
- Copyright holders: Q48413 (preferred) and Daniel LaLiberte (copyright noted for 1988).
- Source code repository URLs: https://git.savannah.gnu.org/cgit/emacs.git/tree/lisp/emacs-lisp/edebug.el and https://git.savannah.gnu.org/gitweb/?p=emacs.git;a=blob;f=lisp/emacs-lisp/edebug.el;h=1a1d58d6e36a3bbb8bc6000202060523868c8025;hb=HEAD.
- Official documentation described at: https://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/manual/html_node/elisp/Edebug.html.

## FAQs
### Q: What is Edebug?
A: Edebug is a source-level debugger specifically for Emacs Lisp code. It is implemented in Emacs Lisp and distributed with GNU Emacs (alias edebug.el).

### Q: Who created Edebug?
A: Edebug was created by Daniel LaLiberte.

### Q: Where can I find Edebug's source code?
A: Edebug's source code is available in the GNU Emacs repositories, for example via https://git.savannah.gnu.org/cgit/emacs.git/tree/lisp/emacs-lisp/edebug.el and the corresponding Gitweb blob URL.

### Q: Under what license is Edebug distributed?
A: The license is identified as Q27016754 and the project is associated with the free software movement.

## Why It Matters
Edebug provides a source-level debugging tool tailored to Emacs Lisp, the dialect used inside GNU Emacs. As a debugger implemented in the same language it inspects, and distributed with GNU Emacs, it occupies a practical role for developers who write and maintain Emacs Lisp code, allowing them to debug functions and libraries that extend or customize the Emacs environment. Its inclusion in the GNU Emacs codebase and documentation (the Emacs manual) makes it an accessible, integrated option for Emacs users. Being part of the free software movement and published in the GNU Emacs repositories means its implementation and evolution are available for study, modification, and redistribution under the project's stated licensing terms. For anyone developing or maintaining Emacs extensions, a source-level debugger that is implemented in Emacs Lisp and maintained alongside Emacs itself is a direct and relevant tool.

## Notable For
- Being a source-level debugger implemented specifically for Emacs Lisp.
- Distributed as edebug.el within the GNU Emacs codebase and documented in the official Emacs manual.
- Authored by Daniel LaLiberte and present in the GNU Emacs repositories.
- Association with the free software movement and a license identified as Q27016754.
- Source code publicly available via the GNU Emacs repository URLs.

## Body
### Overview
- Edebug is described as a "source-level debugger for Emacs Lisp."
- It is implemented in the Emacs Lisp programming language.
- The package is commonly known under the filename/alias edebug.el.

### Creation and authorship
- Creator: Daniel LaLiberte.
- A copyright attribution to Daniel LaLiberte is recorded with a point-in-time year of 1988.

### Licensing and copyright
- License identifier: Q27016754.
- The project is associated with the free software movement.
- Primary copyright holder listed (preferred): Q48413.
- Additional copyright attribution: Daniel LaLiberte (point-in-time: 1988).
- Copyright status: copyrighted.

### Platform and implementation
- Platform: GNU Emacs.
- Programming language used for implementation: Emacs Lisp.
- Emacs Lisp inception (related context): 1985.

### Source code and documentation
- Source code repository (cgit): https://git.savannah.gnu.org/cgit/emacs.git/tree/lisp/emacs-lisp/edebug.el
- Source code repository (Gitweb blob): https://git.savannah.gnu.org/gitweb/?p=emacs.git;a=blob;f=lisp/emacs-lisp/edebug.el;h=1a1d58d6e36a3bbb8bc6000202060523868c8025;hb=HEAD
- Official documentation entry: https://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/manual/html_node/elisp/Edebug.html (English).

### Classification and related entities
- Instance types: free software; software library; debugger.
- Movement: free software movement.
- Related language: Emacs Lisp (dialect used in GNU Emacs).
- Alternate name: edebug.el

### Identifiers and metadata
- Wikidata description: "a source-level debugger for Emacs Lisp."
- Described at URL: GNU Emacs manual Edebug page (English).
- Creator reference points to the Emacs repository listing for edebug.el.

## References

1. [Source](https://git.savannah.gnu.org/cgit/emacs.git/tree/lisp/emacs-lisp/edebug.el)
2. [Source](https://web.mit.edu/Watchmaker/lib/elisp/edebug.el)