Python Debugger Mechanics and Optimization - From sys.settrace to PEP 669

Explore the inner workings of Python debuggers and discover how to significantly improve their performance in this 28-minute PyCon US talk. Delve into the fundamental components that enable debugging Python code, including program interruption, information viewing, expression evaluation, and execution control. Examine the role of sys.settrace and the extensive runtime information provided by Python. Learn about the limitations of current debugging mechanisms and their impact on performance. Discover how PEP 669, introduced in Python 3.12, offers a low-cost monitoring system that can potentially speed up breakpoints by 100 times. Compare the traditional sys.settrace approach with the new sys.monitoring method, gaining insights into the future of more efficient Python debugging.

Talks - Tian Gao: What makes a Python debugger possible and how can we make it 100x faster