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Source Insight VS Delve Debugger

Compare Source Insight VS Delve Debugger and see what are their differences

Source Insight logo Source Insight

Source Insight is a programming editor & code browser with built-in live analysis for C/C++, C#, Java, and more; helping you understand large projects.

Delve Debugger logo Delve Debugger

Delve is a debugger for the Go programming language.
  • Source Insight Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-01-21
  • Delve Debugger Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-27

Source Insight features and specs

  • Efficient Code Navigation
    Source Insight provides advanced code navigation features, such as global symbol indexing and dynamic context views, which help in understanding and navigating large codebases quickly.
  • Real-time Symbolic Analysis
    The software performs real-time analysis of symbols and relationships between them, giving developers instant feedback and insights while coding.
  • Customizable Syntax Formatting
    Developers can customize the syntax formatting to their preferences, helping to enhance code readability and maintain consistency across projects.
  • Lightweight and Fast
    Source Insight is known for being lightweight and fast, making it a suitable choice even on less powerful machines, without compromising performance.
  • Integrated Scripting
    The tool supports integrated scripting to automate repetitive tasks and extend the functionality, offering greater flexibility to users.

Possible disadvantages of Source Insight

  • Limited Language Support
    Source Insight primarily supports C, C++, Java, and some other languages, but it lacks extensive support for newer languages and technologies, which might be restrictive for some developers.
  • Outdated Interface
    The user interface of Source Insight is considered outdated compared to modern IDEs, which might affect the user experience, especially for new users accustomed to contemporary UIs.
  • Steep Learning Curve
    The powerful features and customization options come at the cost of a steeper learning curve, which may require more time for new users to become proficient.
  • Windows Only
    Source Insight is only available for Windows, limiting its usability for developers who prefer or require other operating systems like macOS or Linux.
  • No Integrated Debugger
    While Source Insight excels in code browsing and analysis, it does not include an integrated debugger, which may necessitate the use of additional tools for complete development workflows.

Delve Debugger features and specs

  • Go-specific
    Delve is specifically designed for the Go programming language, providing insights and features that are tailored to Go's unique characteristics.
  • Rich Feature Set
    Delve offers a comprehensive set of debugging features, including breakpoints, call stacks, and variable inspection, making it a powerful tool for debugging Go applications.
  • Command Line Interface
    It provides a robust CLI, allowing developers to perform debugging tasks directly from the terminal, which can be more efficient for those who prefer command-line operations.
  • Integration with IDEs
    Delve integrates well with popular Go IDEs such as Visual Studio Code and GoLand, enhancing the debugging experience within these development environments.
  • Open Source
    As an open-source project, Delve fosters community contributions and transparency, allowing developers to inspect the code and even contribute to its development.

Possible disadvantages of Delve Debugger

  • Learning Curve
    New users, especially those unfamiliar with command-line tools, may find Delve's extensive feature set and CLI interface challenging to learn initially.
  • Platform-dependent Issues
    Users might encounter platform-specific bugs or issues due to differences in how Delve interacts with operating system facilities across different environments.
  • Compatibility
    Changes in the Go language or runtime can sometimes lead to compatibility issues that require updates or patches to Delve.
  • Limited GUI
    Unlike some other debuggers that come with full-featured graphical interfaces, Delve primarily relies on CLI and integrations, which may not appeal to all users.

Analysis of Source Insight

Overall verdict

  • Source Insight is particularly well-regarded for its strong code navigation features and efficient handling of large projects. It's a great choice for developers who need a fast, reliable code editor with powerful analytical tools built in. However, it may feel dated in terms of user interface and might lack some of the modern features found in newer IDEs and editors. Overall, it is a solid option for developers working on large and complex codebases who prioritize speed and efficient code comprehension.

Why this product is good

  • Source Insight is a project-oriented program editor and code browser, specifically designed to help you understand, edit, and manage complex source code. It provides features such as syntax highlighting for several programming languages, real-time code parsing, and intuitive code browsing capabilities. The tool is known for its speed, lightweight nature, and the ability to handle large codebases effectively. It also offers features like code navigation, reference trees, and call trees to help developers understand and manage dependencies within their code.

Recommended for

  • Developers working with large and complex codebases
  • C, C++, and Java developers
  • Teams or individuals seeking a fast and lightweight code editor
  • Users who frequently need to navigate and refactor large amounts of code
  • Developers who prefer traditional, project-oriented editing environments over cloud-based IDEs

Source Insight videos

STM32F0 Tutorial 2: Blinking LED with CubeMX, Keil ARM and Source Insight - Part 2

More videos:

  • Tutorial - STM32F0 Tutorial 2: Blinking LED with CubeMX, Keil ARM and Source Insight - Part 1
  • Review - source insight

Delve Debugger videos

No Delve Debugger videos yet. You could help us improve this page by suggesting one.

Add video

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Source Insight and Delve Debugger)
Code Coverage
91 91%
9% 9
Code Analysis
88 88%
12% 12
Code Review
0 0%
100% 100
Code Quality
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Delve Debugger seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 14 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Source Insight mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Source Insight yet. Tracking of Source Insight recommendations started around Mar 2021.

Delve Debugger mentions (14)

  • Delve The Golang Debugger: A Deep Dive
    Delveโ€™s GitHub has setup details if you hit snags. - Source: dev.to / 4 months ago
  • Mastering Golang Debugging in Emacs
    In this post I'll elaborate the powerful combination of Emacs, Delve, and dape. Together, these tools create a debugging experience that mimics (and often surpasses) traditional IDEs, while preserving the flexibility and extensibility that Emacs is famous for. - Source: dev.to / 10 months ago
  • Vendoring, or go mod vendor: What Is It?
    Delve: A debugger for the Go programming language. - Source: dev.to / about 1 year ago
  • The worst thing about Jenkins is that it works
    At a recent job, we had slightly different containers for local dev; our backend containers (for a Go app) had Air [1] installed for live reloading, plus Delve [2] running inside the container for VS Code's debugger to connect to. We also had a frontend container for local dev, which didn't get deployed as a container, just as static files. [1] https://github.com/cosmtrek/air. - Source: Hacker News / almost 2 years ago
  • Is there a neovim config with preconfigured debugger?
    So in my case I use https://github.com/leoluz/nvim-dap-go (which itself calls out to the CLI tool https://github.com/go-delve/delve). Source: over 2 years ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing Source Insight and Delve Debugger, you can also consider the following products

Source-Navigator NG - Source-Navigator NG is a source code analysis tool.

UNICOM PurifyPlus - PurifyPlus is a run-time analysis tools for application reliability and performance.

CodeClimate - Code Climate provides automated code review for your apps, letting you fix quality and security issues before they hit production. We check every commit, branch and pull request for changes in quality and potential vulnerabilities.

Sublime Web Inspector - Sublime Web Inspector enables users to debug Javascript right in the Sublime Text editor.

Codacy - Automatically reviews code style, security, duplication, complexity, and coverage on every change while tracking code quality throughout your sprints.

PVS-Studio - PVS-Studio is a useful piece of software for detecting problems in source code. The software examines program codes written in C, C++, and C# for any problems that might prohibit the code from functioning properly.