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LXR Cross Referencer
What LXR Cross Referencer is
LXR Cross Referencer indexes source code and presents it for web browsing, linking identifiers to their definitions and uses. The project says it can cover projects beyond the Linux kernel and may be used to monitor development or study a codebase. LXR produces regular HTML for available browsers and should work with a web server that supports CGI scripts. Setup requires installing the source, configuring a database, loading source-tree data, and configuring the server. Listed database choices are MySQL, Oracle, PostgreSQL, and SQLite; source-tree storage options include files, CVS, Git, Subversion, and BitKeeper. LXR 2.3 adds full-text search for source management repositories except CVS and BitKeeper, provided users accept checking out repository sources. Its language parsers identify character sequences that resemble identifiers rather than performing compiler-grade parsing. Database browsing is read-only, with write access reserved for genxref. The software is free and self-installed; the project directs users to its forum and trackers for contacting developers and reporting issues. New releases are being moved to Codeberg and will only be posted there.
Who it suits
LXR may suit developers monitoring a project or readers studying source code who can install and configure a web-based tool. It is intended for codebases beyond the Linux kernel as well.
What it does well
- Links identifiers to definitions and uses.
- Supports several database and source-storage options.
- Full-text search is available for eligible repositories.
- Produces HTML for web browsers.
- Database browsing access is read-only.
What to know first
- Requires database, source-tree, and web-server setup.
- Parsers are not compiler-grade.
- Full-text search excludes CVS and BitKeeper repositories.
- New releases are posted only on Codeberg.
Limits
The parsers are not compiler-grade and instead extract character sequences that look like identifiers. Version 2.3 full-text search is available for source management repositories except CVS and BitKeeper, and requires accepting source checkouts.
Plans
| Plan | Billed and limits | Price |
|---|---|---|
| LXR Cross Referencer | Open-source software; self-installed | Free |
As lxr.sourceforge.io lists them, read 4 Oct 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.
Getting started
- Install the LXR source.
- Choose and configure a database.
- Populate LXR with source-tree data.
- Configure a web server with CGI-script capability.
- Open the generated HTML in an available web browser.
Verdict
LXR is a free, self-hosted option for browsing indexed code with links between identifiers and their uses. Its setup work and parser limits make it important to check the installation and language-analysis fit for your project.
Questions
How much does LXR Cross Referencer cost?
It is free open-source software. The listed plan price is free.
Is LXR self-hosted?
Yes. The listed deployment is self-hosted, and the software is self-installed.
Which databases can it use?
The configuration guide lists MySQL, Oracle, PostgreSQL, and SQLite.
Which source storage options are listed?
The installation configuration lists files, CVS, Git, Subversion, and BitKeeper.
What does LXR do with source code?
It indexes and cross-references source code, linking identifiers to their definitions and uses for web browsing.
Where are new releases posted?
The official site says new releases are being migrated to Codeberg and will only be posted there.
Facts from LXR Cross Referencer's own pages
- Browser output
- LXR produces regular HTML that can be viewed in available web browsers. · lxr.sourceforge.io, 4 Oct 2026
- Database access
- The feature log says browsing access to the database is read-only, with write access reserved for genxref. · lxr.sourceforge.io, 4 Oct 2026
- Database choices
- The configuration guide lists MySQL, Oracle, PostgreSQL, and SQLite as database choices. · lxr.sourceforge.io, 4 Oct 2026
- Installation
- The installation guide instructs users to install LXR source, configure a database, populate it with source-tree data, and configure a web server. · lxr.sourceforge.io, 4 Oct 2026
- Intended use
- The project describes LXR as useful for monitoring a project during development and studying source code from scratch. · lxr.sourceforge.io, 4 Oct 2026
- Parser limits
- The limitations page says language parsers are not compiler-grade and lexically extract character sequences that look like identifiers. · lxr.sourceforge.io, 4 Oct 2026
- Project scope
- The project says it can cross-reference projects beyond the Linux kernel. · lxr.sourceforge.io, 4 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- LXR indexes and cross-references source code for web browsing, linking identifiers to their definitions and uses. · lxr.sourceforge.io, 4 Oct 2026
- Release location
- The official site says new releases are being migrated to Codeberg and will only be posted there. · lxr.sourceforge.io, 4 Oct 2026
- Search
- LXR 2.3 adds full-text search for source management repositories except CVS and BitKeeper, if users accept checking out repository sources. · lxr.sourceforge.io, 4 Oct 2026
- Security
- The feature log says release 2.3 added protection against a vulnerability that allowed arbitrary command execution. · lxr.sourceforge.io, 4 Oct 2026
- Server requirement
- The project says any web server with CGI-script capability should work. · lxr.sourceforge.io, 4 Oct 2026
- Support
- The project directs users to its forum and trackers to contact developers and report issues. · lxr.sourceforge.io, 4 Oct 2026
- Version control
- The installation configuration lists files, CVS, Git, Subversion, and BitKeeper as source-tree storage options. · lxr.sourceforge.io, 4 Oct 2026
Where LXR Cross Referencer stands on Freedom251
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