The recently released GNU debugger (gdb) version 7.0 added support for reverse execution, both Linux host-based and over the gdb-serial remote-debugging protocol.

Simics has supported reverse debugging since 2005, and Virtutech has previously provided a specially patched version of gdb (from version 6.3 through to version 6.8) to Simics users to let them take advantage of full-system reverse execution from gdb, using gdb-serial. With gdb 7.0, support for reverse execution over gdb-serial is part of the standard gdb release, and Simics reverse execution works with any standard gdb, removing the need to use a Virtutech-specific gdb version.

The gdb-serial commands for reverse execution are based on the code and protocol extensions created by Virtutech in 2005, and Virtutech is pleased to see the work being incorporated in the open-source gdb project.

gdb 7.0 support is part of Simics versions 4.0.56 and later, as well as 4.2.26 and later.