# Install mspdebug with Homebrew, apk, apt, MacPorts, Nix

Debugger for use with MSP430 MCUs. Version 0.26 via Homebrew; verified 2026-06-25. Also installable with debian: sudo apt install mspdebug.

## Install

```sh
sudo av install brew:mspdebug
```

Additional install commands:

### macOS

- Homebrew (100%):

```sh
brew install mspdebug
```

  Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata

- MacPorts (94%):

```sh
sudo port install mspdebug
```

  Evidence: MacPorts ports tree: devel/mspdebug/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1

### Linux

- apk (92%):

```sh
sudo apk add mspdebug
```

  Evidence: Alpine Linux edge package indexes: mspdebug from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/testing/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz

- Debian apt (92%):

```sh
sudo apt install mspdebug
```

  Evidence: Debian stable package indexes: mspdebug from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz

- Nix (92%):

```sh
nix profile install nixpkgs#mspdebug
```

  Evidence: nixpkgs package indexes: mspdebug from https://raw.githubusercontent.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/master/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix

## Package facts

- **Package key:** brew:mspdebug
- **Package manager:** Homebrew
- **Version:** 0.26
- **Source summary:** Debugger for use with MSP430 MCUs
- **Homepage:** <https://dlbeer.co.nz/mspdebug/>
- **Repository:** <https://github.com/dlbeer/mspdebug>
- **Last updated:** 2026-06-25T13:37:55+02:00
- **Generated:** 2026-08-03T19:37:03+00:00

## Executables

- mspdebug (alias)

## Install behavior

- Bottle: not available

## Freshness

- Page generated: 2026-08-03
- Package-manager version: 0.26
## Project history and usage

MSPDebug is Daniel Beer's free command-line debugger and programmer for Texas Instruments MSP430 microcontrollers. The project page describes support for FET430UIF, eZ430, RF2500, Olimex MSP430-JTAG-TINY, Launchpad, Chronos, GoodFET, and other compatible devices, plus use either as a GDB proxy or as an independent debugger.

### Project history

The tool's milestones are tied to practical embedded work: user-space operation without kernel modifications, programming and breakpoints, memory inspection, power profiling, bootloader access, multiple object-file formats, disassembly, symbol-table handling, call-graph analysis, and simulation mode. Those features make it useful both for ordinary firmware loading/debugging and for reverse-engineering or protocol work around MSP430 devices.

### How it is used

Its package-manager niche is the open embedded-toolchain slot beside msp430-gcc and GDB. The upstream page notes availability in Fedora, Gentoo, OpenBSD ports, Debian, and Ubuntu, while Homebrew and other Unix package managers provide it for developers who need MSP430 board access from macOS or Linux without vendor IDEs.

### Sources

- <https://dlbeer.co.nz/mspdebug/>
- <https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/mspdebug>
- <https://github.com/dlbeer/mspdebug>
- <https://manpages.ubuntu.com/manpages/noble/man1/mspdebug.1.html>
- <https://packages.debian.org/sid/mspdebug>


## Security Notes

escape, surveillance, or offensive capability signal.

- **Geiger risk:** red / medium
- escape, surveillance, or offensive capability signal

## Other Package-Manager Records

- Debian apt - mspdebug - 0.25-1: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: mspdebug from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | debugging tool for MSP430 microcontrollers | https://mspdebug.sourceforge.net/
- Nix - mspdebug: normalized package name match | nixpkgs package indexes: mspdebug from https://raw.githubusercontent.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/master/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix
- Ubuntu apt - mspdebug - 0.22-2build4: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: mspdebug from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | debugging tool for MSP430 microcontrollers | http://mspdebug.sourceforge.net/
- apk - mspdebug - 0.25-r1: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: mspdebug from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/testing/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | A free debugger for use with MSP430 MCUs | https://github.com/dlbeer/mspdebug
- apk - mspdebug-doc - 0.25-r1: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: mspdebug-doc from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/testing/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | A free debugger for use with MSP430 MCUs (documentation) | https://github.com/dlbeer/mspdebug
- MacPorts - mspdebug: normalized package name match | MacPorts ports tree: devel/mspdebug/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1


## Combined YAML source

View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/mspdebug.yml](https://github.com/mxcl/pkgdb/blob/main/combined/mspdebug.yml)


## Sources

- pkg.so package database
- Geiger risk classifier
- curated package history
- pkgdb category and tag curation
- external package-manager database matches
- cross-ecosystem install command graph