[{"element_type":"user_image","content":"https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/user_assets/assets/000/002/434/original/title-logo.png?1779997137","metadata":{}},{"element_type":"text","content":"\n        \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch5 id=\"subject_6270686\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003c/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you work with 8-bit AVR MCUs but are not a fan of MPLAB X or Microchip Studio, then there are not too many open-source alternatives when you want to debug your program using a symbolic debugger. In particular, neither PlatformIO nor the Arduino IDE 2 offers debugging support for AVR MCUs (well, PlatformIO has a stub solution for some MCUs).\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBased on the open-source Python library pymcuprog published by Microchip, I have developed a cross-platform GDB server for almost all 8-bit AVR chips (except for the XMegas). You can install it from \u003ca class=\"bbc_link\" href=\"https://pypi.org/project/pyavrocd/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ePyPI\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca class=\"bbc_link\" href=\"https://github.com/felias-fogg/PyAvrOCD/releases/latest\" target=\"_blank\"\u003edownload binaries\u003c/a\u003e, clone the \u003ca class=\"bbc_link\" href=\"https://github.com/felias-fogg/PyAvrOCD\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eGitHub repo\u003c/a\u003e, or, when working with the Arduino IDE 2, you simply have to add a \u003cem\u003eboard package URL\u003c/em\u003e into the \u003cem\u003eAdditional Boards Manager URLs\u003c/em\u003e field. It comes with SVD files that you can integrate into the IDE of your choice, which offers easy access to all the I/O registers. In contrast to its 'competitors', PyAvrOCD is much better at avoiding flash wear, does faster line-stepping, and avoids being interrupted while single-stepping. And it is darn easy to install. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe only additional hardware you need is a somewhat recent Microchip debug probe. If your debug probe is too recent, you may need to \u003ca class=\"bbc_link\" href=\"https://arduino-craft-corner.de/index.php/2026/05/25/downgrading-your-pickit5/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003edowngrade it\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you do not have a debug probe but want to try out debugging, there is also a simulator integrated. And you can turn an Arduino UNO R3 into a debug probe for debugWIRE targets, e.g., the famous ATmega328P chip or classic ATtinys.\u0026nbsp;\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHave a look at the manual if you are interested: \u003ca class=\"bbc_link\" href=\"https://pyavrocd.io/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ehttps://pyavrocd.io\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n      ","metadata":{}}]