ltrace vs DTrace

Struggling to choose between ltrace and DTrace? Both products offer unique advantages, making it a tough decision.

ltrace is a Development solution with tags like library, debugging, tracing, dynamic-linking.

It boasts features such as Intercepts and records dynamic library calls made by a process, Can trace calls made by programs to shared libraries, Helps debug issues caused by dynamic linking, Shows parameters passed to library functions and return values, Tracks time spent in each call and pros including Lightweight and easy to use for debugging, Does not require modifying or recompiling the target program, Works on most Linux distributions without special setup, Can trace proprietary programs where source code is unavailable.

On the other hand, DTrace is a Os & Utilities product tagged with tracing, troubleshooting, debugging.

Its standout features include Dynamic instrumentation of running production systems, Minimal overhead and performance impact, Support for multiple programming languages, Real-time diagnostics, Root cause analysis, and it shines with pros like Powerful troubleshooting capabilities, Low overhead, Easy to use, Integrated into Solaris and other OSes.

Feature	ltrace	DTrace
Overall Score	N/A	N/A
Primary Category	Development	Os & Utilities

Product Overview

ltrace

Description: ltrace is a debugging utility that intercepts and records dynamic library calls which are called by an executed process. It can be used to trace calls made by programs to shared libraries and helps debug issues caused by dynamic linking.

DTrace

Description: DTrace is a dynamic tracing framework created by Sun Microsystems for troubleshooting kernel and application problems on production systems in real time. It allows administrators, developers, and service personnel to concisely answer arbitrary questions about the behavior of the operating system and user programs.

Key Features Comparison

ltrace Features

• Intercepts and records dynamic library calls made by a process
• Can trace calls made by programs to shared libraries
• Helps debug issues caused by dynamic linking
• Shows parameters passed to library functions and return values
• Tracks time spent in each call

DTrace Features

• Dynamic instrumentation of running production systems
• Minimal overhead and performance impact
• Support for multiple programming languages
• Real-time diagnostics
• Root cause analysis

Pros & Cons Analysis

ltrace

Pros

• Lightweight and easy to use for debugging
• Does not require modifying or recompiling the target program
• Works on most Linux distributions without special setup
• Can trace proprietary programs where source code is unavailable

Cons

• Only works for dynamic library calls, not static linking
• Can introduce some runtime overhead when tracing
• Does not trace code within libraries themselves
• Limited Windows support compared to Linux

DTrace

Pros

• Powerful troubleshooting capabilities
• Low overhead
• Easy to use
• Integrated into Solaris and other OSes

Cons

• Steep learning curve
• Limited to Solaris-based systems without porting efforts
• Can impact performance if misused

Pricing Comparison

ltrace

• Open Source

DTrace

• Open Source
• Free