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SPECIFICTION
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Crashpad

chromium.googlesource.com

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Spec score 8.7 #10 of 26 in Game Crash Reporting Software

What it is

Crashpad is an open-source crash-reporting system and client library for Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, and Windows. It embeds in an application, where a handler snapshots a registered process after a crash, saves a dump, and can send it to a collection server configured by the embedding client. Applications can also request process-state dumps on demand for diagnostics. Reports use the Windows minidump format with Crashpad extensions and generally contain loaded modules, thread registers and stack memory, selected operating-system state, and memory referenced by registers and stacks. Applications can add key/value annotations, application-specific metadata, and custom minidump streams. Uploads use HTTP or HTTPS through the Breakpad wire protocol, with a documented limit of one upload per hour and failed uploads aborted. The design requires applications to obtain and honor consent because process memory may contain sensitive data. Crashpad is a client-side component; a processor is planned without a completion timeline.

Spec sheet

Purpose
Crashpad is a library for capturing, storing, and transmitting postmortem crash reports from an application to a collection server.Read 9 Oct 2026 · chromium.googlesource.com
Platforms
The project status page lists complete crash-reporting clients and related tools for macOS, Windows, Fuchsia, and Linux, including Android and Chromium OS.Read 4 Oct 2026 · chromium.googlesource.com
Security
The handler reads client address spaces through accessors designed to check pointer validity and enforce access bounds.Read 9 Oct 2026 · chromium.googlesource.com
Privacy
Crashpad's design says the client application must obtain and honor user consent before uploading reports, which may contain arbitrary data from process memory.Read 9 Oct 2026 · chromium.googlesource.com
Annotations
Client applications can add key/value annotations and extend reports with application-specific metadata or custom minidump streams.Read 4 Oct 2026 · chromium.googlesource.com
Backend scope
Crashpad is a client-side component; its status page says a crash-report processor is planned, with no completion timeline set.Read 4 Oct 2026 · chromium.googlesource.com
Build and test
The project provides build instructions and says Crashpad Buildbot performs automated builds and tests.Read 9 Oct 2026 · chromium.googlesource.com
Collection server
The embedding application configures the collection server URL, and Crashpad can upload reports over HTTP or HTTPS.Read 9 Oct 2026 · chromium.googlesource.com
Consent and privacy
The design says the client application must obtain and honor user consent for uploads, because reports may contain sensitive data from process memory.Read 4 Oct 2026 · chromium.googlesource.com
Crash metadata
Applications can add key/value annotations and extend reports with application-specific metadata or custom minidump streams.Read 9 Oct 2026 · chromium.googlesource.com
Diagnostics
It can capture process state on demand for diagnostic purposes.Read 9 Oct 2026 · chromium.googlesource.com
Integration
Crashpad is embedded into client applications; outside Chromium it depends on mini_chromium, while Chromium builds use Chromium's base library.Read 9 Oct 2026 · chromium.googlesource.com
iOS limitations
The iOS handler cannot catch some crash groups, including out-of-memory crashes, and writes intermediate dumps that are converted to minidumps later.Read 9 Oct 2026 · chromium.googlesource.com
iOS status
The project status page says work has begun on an iOS client; iOS uses an in-process handler because its sandbox restricts delegating work to separate processes.Read 9 Oct 2026 · chromium.googlesource.com
On-demand dumps
Crashpad can capture dumps of process state on demand for diagnostic purposes.Read 4 Oct 2026 · chromium.googlesource.com
Process architecture
Crashpad uses a handler that snapshots a client process after a crash, saves a crash dump, and can transmit it to an upstream server if configured.Read 4 Oct 2026 · chromium.googlesource.com
Project support
The README directs users to the issue tracker for bugs and the crashpad-dev mailing list for project discussion.Read 9 Oct 2026 · chromium.googlesource.com
Report contents
Crash dumps generally include loaded modules, thread registers and stack memory, selected operating-system state, and selected memory referenced by registers and stacks.Read 4 Oct 2026 · chromium.googlesource.com
Report format
Crash reports use the Windows minidump format with extensions for Crashpad additions such as annotations.Read 4 Oct 2026 · chromium.googlesource.com
Support and project contact
The README points users to the Crashpad issue tracker for bugs and the crashpad-dev mailing list for developer discussion.Read 4 Oct 2026 · chromium.googlesource.com
Supported platforms
The project status page describes completed crash-reporting clients for macOS, Windows, Fuchsia, and Linux, including Android and Chromium OS.Read 9 Oct 2026 · chromium.googlesource.com
Transport
The embedding client sets the collection-server URL, and the handler can upload over HTTP or HTTPS; the design strongly suggests HTTPS to protect privacy in transit.Read 4 Oct 2026 · chromium.googlesource.com
Upload behavior
The documented client-side throttling currently limits uploads to one per hour, and failed uploads are aborted without retry.Read 9 Oct 2026 · chromium.googlesource.com
Upload protocol
Crashpad uses the Breakpad wire protocol, sending a MIME multipart request that can be gzip-compressed.Read 9 Oct 2026 · chromium.googlesource.com
Upload scope
Crashpad says it will not upload a process that has not registered with its handler, though registrations may be inherited by child processes on some operating systems.Read 4 Oct 2026 · chromium.googlesource.com

Plans and prices

Crashpad Free No pricing or plan limits stated Read 9 Oct 2026 · chromium.googlesource.com

Every Crashpad plan and price →

Strong points and limits

Strong points

  • Free and open source
  • Supports Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, and Windows
  • On-demand diagnostic dumps
  • Custom annotations and minidump streams
  • HTTP or HTTPS upload support

Limits

  • Reports may contain sensitive process memory
  • Uploads limited to one per hour
  • Crash processor is not completed
  • iOS handler misses some crash groups

Who it suits

It suits developers embedding crash reporting in applications across the listed platforms. Teams needing configurable metadata, diagnostic dumps, and a collection-server connection can use its client library.

Verdict

Crashpad provides embedded crash capture, configurable report data, and server uploads across several platforms. Its consent requirements, upload behavior, and incomplete processor scope matter when planning deployment.

Where Specifiction places it

Alternatives to CrashpadAll alternatives →