Debug Java applications remotely with Eclipse

We are ready to start debugging an application remotely. Let's do it step by step:

1. Create a Java project with a simple class

We create a simple class for debugging purpose. Listing 1 shows the sample code.

Listing 1. Sample code for debugging

package com.ibm.developerWorks.debugtest;

public class test {

public static void main(String[] args) {
 System.out.println("This is a test.");
}
}
2. Set a breakpoint
3. Debug the application remotely

Copy the JAR file to the appropriate location on the remote computer, or even the same machine, invoke the debug server, and then attach a client to it. The simple Java application can act as a debug server or client. Depending on the configuration, you can choose either Socket Attach or Socket Listen connection type in Eclipse. Learn how to run the application as a server or client in the following two sections.

3.1 The simple Java application can act as a debug server

java -Xdebug -Xrunjdwp:transport=dt_socket,server=y,address="8000" -jar
  test.jar

Set the Eclipse is debug client

3.2 Eclipse is debug server

Run the client as

java -Xdebug -Xrunjdwp:transport=dt_socket,address=127.0.0.1:8000,suspend=y
        -jar test.jar

This article illustrated how to use the Eclipse built-in remote Java
application configuration type to perform application debugging
remotely. It introduced how to set up a Java application to invoke
remote debugging and helped you understand the connectors Eclipse
provides. Finally, you learned how to apply this technology to your
projects.