Side by side
Black Magic Debug vs FlowStorm
Both stand on debuggers. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Choose Black Magic Debug if you need a free JTAG/SWD debugger with automatic target detection and control over your embedded development setup. It supports multiple host systems and useful debugging functions, but you need compatible probe hardware and a suitable toolchain. Consider the desktop-app programming speed and the status of older probe models when choosing hardware.
Visit Black Magic DebugFlowStorm combines execution recording with stepping, inspection, visualizations, and thread-event timelines for Clojure and ClojureScript. Check its runtime requirements and the async/await limitation against your project before choosing it.
Visit FlowStormThe facts
| Black Magic Debug | FlowStorm | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | Not published |
| Runs on | Linux, Mac, Windows | Linux, Mac, Self-hosted, Windows |
| Lowest paid plan | Free or on request | Free or on request |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | black-magic.org | flow-storm.org |
| On debuggers | #1 of 27 | #2 of 27 |
Black Magic Debug: what it does well
- Automatic target detection avoids target-specific configuration scripts.
- Provides watchpoints, flash breakpoints, memory and register examination, and flash programming.
- Supports semihosting, Serial Wire Output, and USB DFU firmware upgrades.
- Runs on Windows, Linux, and macOS.
- Open-source project with guides for PlatformIO and STM32CubeIDE.
What to know first
- Requires a compatible Black Magic Probe and a suitable target toolchain.
- Programming is a little slower in desktop-app mode.
- Several older probe models are legacy and not in production.
FlowStorm: what it does well
- Records execution without breakpoints or code changes
- Provides stepping, value inspection, and exception debugging
- Timeline shows interleaving of thread instructions
- Free and open source
- Supports plugins and real-time visualizations
What to know first
- Requires JDK 17 or later and Clojure 1.10.0 or later
- Vanilla FlowStorm lacks support for the specified async/await feature
Alternatives to Black Magic Debug Alternatives to FlowStorm The whole list