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Dapper

Dapper is a Debug Adapter Protocol (DAP) proxy for shared, AI-assisted debugging.

It lets an IDE, command-line tools, and MCP-aware agents inspect and control the same live debug session. You keep the debugger integration you already use, while Dapper adds a control plane that other clients can safely attach to.

What Dapper Is For​

  • Share one debug session between a human in an IDE and an agent in a terminal.
  • Let agents inspect threads, stack frames, scopes, variables, breakpoints, and debugger capabilities.
  • Connect MCP clients to an existing debug session without giving them direct ownership of the debug adapter.
  • Run headless debugging workflows when an IDE is not involved.

How It Fits Together​

An IDE or launcher starts a debug adapter through Dapper. Dapper forwards DAP traffic between the original client and the adapter, then exposes a control API for extra clients. The CLI and MCP server use that control API to inspect or drive the same session.

IDE / launcher <-> Dapper proxy <-> debug adapter <-> debuggee
                      ^
                      |
                 CLI / MCP agent

Where To Start​

Use Installation to build or locate the dapper binary, then Getting Started for the fastest path to a first session. Use Agentic Debugging when connecting an agent through MCP or the CLI. Detailed command behavior lives under Reference.