Delve

You deploy and use the Delve MCP Server to manage Go debugging sessions via the Delve debugger. It exposes a complete MCP interface to start, control, and inspect programs, making it easier to debug Go applications from your MCP client and integrateDelve-powered debugging into your workflow.

How to use

You connect an MCP client to the Delve MCP Server to start and manage debugging sessions. Use the available commands to launch a session, set breakpoints, control execution, inspect variables, and evaluate expressions. You can also enable DAP support, replay debugging, and analyze core dumps when needed. Start by creating a session with a debug command, then issue control and inspection commands against that session.

Key usage patterns include starting a new debug session for a Go package, attaching to a running process, or executing a prebuilt binary. You can set breakpoints with optional conditions, step through code, and inspect variables in the current scope. If you need deeper analysis, you can reuse replay traces, trace program execution, or run a DAP server for IDE integrations.

How to install

Prerequisites you need before running the server are Node.js and npm, and you should have Go installed with Delve ready for Go debugging. For replay functionality, install Mozilla rr.

Install the MCP server package from npm:

npm install @dwisiswant0/delve-mcp

Build the server locally and prepare for development:

npm install

pm run build

(Optional) Enable automatic rebuild during development:

npm run watch

Configure your environment for Claude Desktop or your MCP client. If you use Claude Desktop, add the server configuration to your client’s config file at your platform’s standard location. The example below demonstrates the required JSON configuration for the MCP server entry.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "delve_mcp": {
      "command": "/path/to/delve-mcp/build/index.js"
    }
  }
}

Available tools

debug

Start debugging a Go package in the current directory or a specified package to begin a new debugging session.

attach

Attach the debugger to a running process by its PID to inspect and control it without restarting.

exec

Execute and debug a precompiled binary to analyze its behavior under Delve control.

test

Debug tests in the current package or a specified package to validate behavior.

core

Examine a core dump file together with its executable for post-mortem debugging.

dap

Start a Debug Adapter Protocol server to enable IDEs to connect for debugging sessions.

replay

Replay a previously recorded rr trace to reproduce program execution for analysis.

trace

Trace program execution with function-level matching to identify hotspots and behavior.

setBreakpoint

Set a breakpoint with an optional condition to pause program execution at a labeled point.

removeBreakpoint

Remove an existing breakpoint from a session to clear the pause point.

continue

Continue program execution from the current breakpoint or pause.

next

Step over to the next line of code while preserving the current call frame.

step

Step into the next function call to inspect deeper call paths.

stepout

Step out of the current function to return to the caller.

variables

List local variables in the current scope to inspect state.

evaluate

Evaluate an expression in the current scope to inspect values or compute results.

version

Retrieve Delve version information to verify the debugging environment.

setBackend

Configure the debug backend to use native, lldb, or rr as the underlying engine.

configureLogging

Configure debugging component logging to control verbosity and outputs.