SharpDbg MCP Server

An MCP (Model Context Protocol) server that exposes .NET debugging capabilities and comprehensive debugger documentation to AI assistants like Claude.

⚠️ Project Status

BETA - Feature Complete

✅ Phase 1 (Documentation): Fully functional - Search comprehensive .NET debugger documentation
✅ Phase 2 (Debugging): Functional - Complete debugging workflow with breakpoints, stepping, variable inspection, and expression evaluation

What is This?

SharpDbg MCP Server provides two main capabilities:

Documentation Access: Search and explore comprehensive documentation about .NET debugger internals, including ICorDebug API, Debug Adapter Protocol (DAP), expression evaluation, and debugging workflows.
Interactive Debugging: Attach to .NET processes and perform debugging operations through MCP tools (in development).

Why Use This?

AI-Assisted Debugging: Enable AI assistants to help debug .NET applications by giving them access to process state
Learning Resource: Interactive access to comprehensive debugger documentation during conversations
Novel Capability: The only MCP server currently offering .NET debugging capabilities

Prerequisites

.NET 10 SDK or later
Claude Desktop or another MCP-compatible client
macOS, Linux, or Windows

Installation

1. Clone and Build

cd /path/to/SharpDbg.MCP
dotnet build src/SharpDbg.MCP/SharpDbg.MCP.csproj

2. Configure Claude Desktop

Add to your Claude Desktop configuration file:

macOS/Linux: ~/.config/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "sharpdbg": {
      "command": "dotnet",
      "args": [
        "run",
        "--project",
        "/absolute/path/to/SharpDbg.MCP/src/SharpDbg.MCP/SharpDbg.MCP.csproj"
      ]
    }
  }
}

3. Restart Claude Desktop

The SharpDbg MCP server will now be available in your conversations.

Configuration

The server can be configured using environment variables. Add them to your Claude Desktop configuration:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "sharpdbg": {
      "command": "dotnet",
      "args": ["run", "--project", "/absolute/path/to/SharpDbg.MCP/src/SharpDbg.MCP/SharpDbg.MCP.csproj"],
      "env": {
        "SHARPDBG_LOG_LEVEL": "Information",
        "SHARPDBG_OPERATION_TIMEOUT_SECONDS": "30",
        "SHARPDBG_EVAL_TIMEOUT_MS": "5000",
        "SHARPDBG_ENABLE_DIAGNOSTICS": "false"
      }
    }
  }
}

Available Configuration Options

Environment Variable	Description	Default	Valid Values
`SHARPDBG_LOG_LEVEL`	Logging verbosity	`Information`	`Trace`, `Debug`, `Information`, `Warning`, `Error`, `Critical`
`SHARPDBG_MAX_SESSIONS`	Maximum concurrent debug sessions (future)	`1`	Positive integer
`SHARPDBG_OPERATION_TIMEOUT_SECONDS`	Timeout for debugging operations	`30`	Positive integer
`SHARPDBG_ALLOW_OTHER_USER_PROCESSES`	Allow attaching to processes owned by other users	`false`	`true`, `false`
`SHARPDBG_EVAL_TIMEOUT_MS`	Expression evaluation timeout in milliseconds	`5000`	≥ 100
`SHARPDBG_ENABLE_DIAGNOSTICS`	Enable detailed diagnostic logging	`false`	`true`, `false`

Examples

Enable debug logging:

"env": {
  "SHARPDBG_LOG_LEVEL": "Debug"
}

Increase operation timeout for slow systems:

"env": {
  "SHARPDBG_OPERATION_TIMEOUT_SECONDS": "60"
}

Enable full diagnostics for troubleshooting:

"env": {
  "SHARPDBG_LOG_LEVEL": "Trace",
  "SHARPDBG_ENABLE_DIAGNOSTICS": "true"
}

Available Tools

Documentation Tools (Phase 1 - Fully Functional)

`search_debugging_concepts`

Search the embedded documentation for debugging concepts.

Example: "How does expression evaluation work in .NET debuggers?"

Parameters:

query (string): Search query for concepts like "ICorDebug", "breakpoints", "stepping"

Returns: JSON with matching documentation sections, including titles, content previews, and full text.

`explain_icordebug_interface`

Get detailed information about specific ICorDebug interfaces.

Example: "Explain ICorDebugEval"

Parameters:

interface_name (string): Interface name like "ICorDebugEval", "ICorDebugProcess"

Returns: JSON with interface explanation and usage details.

`get_debugging_flow`

Retrieve step-by-step flows for common debugging operations.

Example: "Show me the flow for setting a breakpoint"

Parameters:

operation (string): Operation like "setting a breakpoint", "evaluating an expression", "stepping"

Returns: Complete flow diagram with detailed steps.

`list_debugging_concepts`

Browse all available debugging concepts organized by category.

Parameters: None

Returns: JSON with all concepts grouped by category (Core Architecture, Debugging Fundamentals, Expression Evaluation, etc.)

Debugging Tools (Phase 2 - Functional)

`list_dotnet_processes`

List all .NET processes currently running on the system.

Parameters: None

Returns: JSON array of processes with ID, name, and main module path.

`attach_to_process`

Attach the debugger to a .NET process.

Parameters:

process_id (int): Process ID to attach to

Returns: Success/error response with session information.

`get_process_status`

Check the status of the current debug session.

Parameters: None

Returns: Session state including attachment status, process ID, and execution state.

`detach_from_process`

Detach the debugger from the current process.

Parameters: None

Returns: Success/error response.

`set_breakpoint`

Set a breakpoint at a specific file and line number.

Parameters:

file_path (string): Absolute path to source file
line (int): Line number (1-based)

Returns: Breakpoint information including ID, verification status, and message.

`get_threads`

Get all threads in the attached process.

Parameters: None

Returns: JSON array of threads with ID and name.

`get_stack_trace`

Get the call stack for a specific thread.

Parameters:

thread_id (int): Thread ID to query

Returns: Array of stack frames with source locations, line numbers, and frame IDs.

`get_variables`

Get local variables for a specific stack frame.

Parameters:

frame_id (int): Stack frame ID from get_stack_trace

Returns: Array of variables with names, values, types, and references for expansion.