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OpenOCD vs TRACE32

OpenOCD

openocd.org

TRACE32

lauterbach.com

Side by side

FigureOpenOCDTRACE32
Price fromFree—
Free planYes—
Free trial——
Open source——
WindowsYesYes
macOSYesYes
LinuxYesYes
Self-hostedYes—
Plans published11
Spec score · Debuggers7.8 (#12)7.1 (#23)
PurposeOpenOCD provides debugging, in-system programming, and boundary-scan testing for embedded target devices using a debug adapter.TRACE32 connects to embedded processor debug ports to control cores, inspect data, set breakpoints, and diagnose software failures and memory corruption.

Plans

OpenOCD

  • OpenOCDFree

OpenOCD pricing →

TRACE32

  • TRACE32 debugger and trace systemPriced on request

TRACE32 pricing →

In their own words

OpenOCD

OpenOCD provides debugging, in-system programming, and boundary-scan testing for embedded target devices through a debug adapter. It communicates with targets over JTAG or Serial Wire Debug (SWD), and can run as a server for GDB clients. Users can also interact through Telnet or GDB; its Tcl interface is intended for machine interaction, and configuration files can contain commands using the documented Tcl scripting API. The target list includes ARM, MIPS, RISC-V, Xtensa, ARC, AVR32, and other architectures. Release 0.12.0 notes support for Espressif ESP32, ESP32-S2, ESP32-S3 cores, and Raspberry Pi Pico RP2040, along with Zephyr and a no-RTOS option. OpenOCD supports remote debugging and exception breakpoints. It is free and listed for Linux, macOS, Windows, and self-hosted setups. The project says it is packaged in popular operating-system repositories and provides access to source code; community binaries are marked unofficial. Host configuration may take extra steps: Linux usually needs a udev rule for adapter access, and Windows requires driver configuration for each peripheral.

Visit openocd.org

TRACE32

TRACE32 has no write-up on Specifiction yet; its figures are above.

Visit lauterbach.com