# GDB Examining State

**Printing variables and state** tells you what values the program holds. Print can show variables, expressions, array contents, and dereferenced pointers.

```bash
(gdb) print x                    # show value of x
(gdb) print x + y               # show expression
(gdb) print arr                  # show array (often prints just base address)
(gdb) print arr[0]              # show first element
(gdb) print *ptr                # dereference pointer
(gdb) print &variable           # address of variable
(gdb) print (int)ptr            # cast pointer to int
(gdb) info locals               # show all local variables
(gdb) info args                 # show function arguments
(gdb) backtrace (bt)            # show call stack (all frames)
(gdb) frame N                   # select frame N (0 is innermost)
(gdb) up                        # move to calling frame
(gdb) down                      # move to called frame
```

Print is the workhorse command. Abbreviate to `p` in GDB. It evaluates expressions in the current frame's scope—locals, globals, and dereferenced pointers are all available.

`info locals` lists all local variables and their values. Faster than printing individually when debugging a function with many locals. `info args` shows function arguments—useful when stepping into a function to confirm what it received.

`backtrace` shows the stack of function calls that led to the current point. Frame 0 is the currently executing function; frame 1 is its caller; higher numbers are older callers. `frame N` jumps to frame N so you can inspect its variables. `up` and `down` navigate one frame at a time.

Arrays print as a single address by default; print specific indices like `arr[5]` or use `x` command (see [[gdb-inspecting-memory]]) to dump multiple elements.