Debug Symbols
Debug symbols are metadata files that map compiled machine code back to the original source code, enabling developers to debug applications by providing information like function names, variable types, and line numbers. They are essential for debugging optimized or stripped binaries in languages like C, C++, and Rust, and are generated during compilation with tools like compilers and linkers. Common formats include PDB (Program Database) for Windows, DWARF for Unix-like systems, and dSYM for macOS.
Developers should learn about debug symbols when working with compiled languages to diagnose crashes, memory leaks, or performance issues in production or testing environments, as they allow stepping through code in debuggers like GDB or Visual Studio. They are crucial for post-mortem debugging using core dumps or crash reports, and for profiling tools to provide meaningful insights. Without debug symbols, debugging becomes significantly harder, often reducing errors to cryptic memory addresses.