8. System Debugging and Profiling

Try these first

1. 1.

   What does GDB stand for?

   Hint

   Think about what GDB helps you do.

2. 2.

   What type of issues does Valgrind help identify?

   Hint

   Consider what problems can occur with memory in programs.

3. 3.

   What is the primary function of GDB?

   • Memory management
   • Debugging applications
   • System monitoring

   Hint

   Think about what GDB does for your programs.

4. 4.

   True or False: Valgrind can detect memory leaks.

   • True
   • False

   Hint

   Reflect on what Valgrind is commonly used for.

5. 5.

   Given a scenario where a program is crashing regularly, outline a step-by-step approach using GDB and core dumps to diagnose the issue.

   Hint

   Start with enabling core dumps first and recall commands you’d use in GDB.

6. 6.

   Evaluate a program that’s experiencing significant slowdowns. How might you use perf and gprof together to improve its performance?

   Hint

   Think about the metrics each tool provides and how they can complement each other.