PonyDebugger vs pyOCD
PonyDebugger
github.compyOCD
pyocd.ioSide by side
| Figure | PonyDebugger | pyOCD |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | — |
| Windows | — | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | — | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | — |
| API | — | Yes |
| Self-hosted | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Spec score · Debuggers | 8.2 (#7) | 8.6 (#3) |
| Installation | The iOS client can be installed with CocoaPods or manually, and the gateway server has a userland installation procedure using virtualenv. | The stable package is available from PyPI and can be installed or upgraded with pip; the documentation also recommends pipx for an isolated virtual Python environment. |
| License | PonyDebugger and its gateway are licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0. | The project code is licensed under Apache 2.0. |
| Purpose | PonyDebugger is a client library and gateway server that uses Chrome Developer Tools to debug an application's network traffic and managed object contexts. | pyOCD is a Python based tool and API for debugging, programming, and exploring Arm Cortex microcontrollers. |
Plans
In their own words
PonyDebugger
PonyDebugger is a free remote debugging toolset for native iOS apps. An app-side client connects to a gateway server, which presents debugging views through Chrome Developer Tools. Network traffic can be routed through a proxy for inspection in Chrome’s Network tools, including HTTPS; the client automatically proxies requests using NSURLConnection and NSURLSession. Developers can register managed object contexts and browse Core Data entities and objects, though these stores are read-only. The view hierarchy display can highlight matching views, edit displayed attributes, and remove nodes. Remote logging supports text and recursive inspection of object properties. Setup requires integrating the client and connecting it to the gateway; the quick start requires Xcode Command Line Tools. The gateway serves Chrome Developer Tools on localhost port 9000 by default, and can be configured for access from another device or computer. The iOS client requires iOS 5.0 or above. The project is Apache License 2.0; its README warns that automatic forwarding of all network traffic swizzles private API methods and should be limited to debug builds.
pyOCD
pyOCD is a Python tool and API for debugging, programming, and exploring Arm Cortex microcontrollers. Its GDB server supports command-line debugging and IDE workflows, including Arm CMSIS Debugger, Cortex-Debug, and Eclipse Embedded CDT. It can program firmware and data images into internal or external flash, or load images into RAM. The Python API controls target devices and can support CI setups and custom test or debug tools. More than 70 common Arm Cortex-M devices have built-in support, with CMSIS Device Family Packs available for additional devices. Features include semihosting, SWV, and CMSIS-Pack support. Built-in probe plug-ins include CMSIS-DAP, Raspberry Pi Picoprobe, SEGGER J-Link, STLink, and pyOCD remote; PE Micro Cyclone and Multilink require a separate plug-in. A server and client can share probes over TCP/IP. pyOCD requires Python 3.9 or later and runs on macOS, Linux, FreeBSD, and Windows. It is free, with code licensed under Apache 2.0. Unlocking a supported locked device can require a mass erase, which erases its data.