How Can GCC and GDB Help Debug Segmentation Faults?

Debugging Segmentation Faults with GCC and GDB

A segmentation fault is a common runtime error that occurs when a program attempts to access memory outside its allocated address space. Determining the exact line of code responsible for this error can be challenging.

While GCC cannot directly pinpoint the fault location, it offers a useful compilation option: -g. This flag enables debugging symbols, allowing you to use the GNU Debugger (GDB) to trace the program's execution.

Using GDB to Trace Segmentation Faults

1. Compile your program with the -g switch:

gcc program.c -g

2. Run the program using GDB:

$ gdb ./a.out

3. Run your program until the segmentation fault occurs.
4. Use the backtrace command to display a stack trace, which will indicate the offending code responsible for the fault:

(gdb) backtrace

Note:

It's important to remember that the line of code indicated by the segfault is not necessarily the root cause of the error. The fault may have originated elsewhere in the program and manifested in the indicated location.

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