ltrace vs strace

Struggling to choose between ltrace and strace? 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, strace is a Os & Utilities product tagged with debugging, monitoring, linux.

Its standout features include Traces system calls and signals, Intercepts and prints the system calls executed by a program, Displays the values of parameters passed to and returned from system calls, Can attach to an already running process or start a process and trace it, Can trace child processes spawned by a traced process, and it shines with pros like Useful for debugging and troubleshooting programs, Helps identify performance bottlenecks, Lightweight and easy to use, Works on most Linux distributions without needing compilation.

To help you make an informed decision, we've compiled a comprehensive comparison of these two products, delving into their features, pros, cons, pricing, and more. Get ready to explore the nuances that set them apart and determine which one is the perfect fit for your requirements.

ltrace

ltrace

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.

Categories:
library debugging tracing dynamic-linking

Ltrace Features

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

Pricing

  • Open Source

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


strace

strace

strace is a diagnostic, debugging and instructional userspace utility for Linux. It is used to monitor and tamper with interactions between processes and the Linux kernel, including system calls, signal deliveries, and changes of process state.

Categories:
debugging monitoring linux

Strace Features

  1. Traces system calls and signals
  2. Intercepts and prints the system calls executed by a program
  3. Displays the values of parameters passed to and returned from system calls
  4. Can attach to an already running process or start a process and trace it
  5. Can trace child processes spawned by a traced process

Pricing

  • Open Source

Pros

Useful for debugging and troubleshooting programs

Helps identify performance bottlenecks

Lightweight and easy to use

Works on most Linux distributions without needing compilation

Cons

Can slow down execution of traced programs significantly

Generates large trace files quickly

Requires understanding of system calls and signals

Does not work on statically linked programs