---
id: flake8-debugger
version: "4.1.2"
license: MIT
license_treatment: permissive
maintenance: abandoned
---

# flake8-debugger — ipdb/pdb statement checker plugin for flake8

License: permissive · Maintenance: abandoned · Downloads: 338.2K/mo

## What it is and what it does

flake8-debugger is a linting plugin that integrates with flake8 to catch debugger statements accidentally left in code. It detects imports and calls to pdb, ipdb, pudb, the breakpoint() builtin, and IPython's InteractiveShellEmbed, flagging them as code-quality issues during static analysis.

The plugin works by parsing Python's abstract syntax tree to identify these debugging tools. Once installed alongside flake8, it runs automatically as part of your linting workflow without requiring separate configuration. It's designed for developers who want to prevent debug code from reaching production or being committed to version control.

Use it for:

- Catch pdb or ipdb breakpoints left in code before committing to version control.
- Enforce team code-quality standards by failing CI builds when debugger statements are detected.
- Detect IPython interactive shells embedded in production code.
- Identify pudb or breakpoint() calls that were meant to be temporary during development.

## Worth the install?

AI-flagged interpretation of the facts above — verify before relying.

A flake8 plugin that detects debugger statements (pdb, ipdb, pudb, breakpoint, and IPython.terminal.embed) left in Python code during linting.

Yes, if you are already using flake8 and need to prevent debugger statements in your codebase. The plugin is lightweight and adds minimal friction. However, be aware that the project is abandoned and may not be maintained for compatibility with future flake8 versions—verify it works with your current flake8 version before relying on it in production workflows.

## Install

pip install flake8-debugger
uv add flake8-debugger
poetry add flake8-debugger

## Installing flake8-debugger

Before you install: Low install friction with just two runtime dependencies (flake8 and pycodestyle). However, the package is abandoned—last release was 2022-04-30. No active maintenance means bug fixes or compatibility updates are unlikely.

License in practice: MIT license is permissive, allowing use in both open-source and commercial projects with minimal restrictions.

Quickstart:

pip install flake8-debugger

Then run flake8 on your code:
flake8 your_file.py

The plugin automatically detects pdb, ipdb, pudb, breakpoint, and IPython.terminal.embed statements.

Requires flake8 to be installed; the plugin integrates as a flake8 extension and does not work standalone.

Verify before relying:

- Whether the plugin remains compatible with recent flake8 versions given the time since last release.
- Current error codes and messages the plugin emits for different debugger types.

## Package facts

- License: MIT (permissive)
- Python support: supports_current
- Install friction: low
- Maintenance: abandoned
- Downloads: 338.2K/month (top 15,000 on PyPI)
- Known vulnerabilities: none known

## Tags

flake8 debugger detection, pdb statement checker, find leftover debugger imports, ipdb linting plugin, code quality debugger check, linting, code-quality, debugger-detection

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