# ERROR: Debugger.jl requires a LineEditREPL type of REPL

**URL:** <https://discourse.julialang.org/t/error-debugger-jl-requires-a-lineeditrepl-type-of-repl/128760>\
**Category:** New to Julia\
**Tags:** question, repl, debugger\
**Created:** [May 6, 2025, 2:30pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/error-debugger-jl-requires-a-lineeditrepl-type-of-repl/128760 "2025-05-06T14:30:42Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 19\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![WalterMadelim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/3e96dc/32.png) [@WalterMadelim](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/WalterMadelim)\
**Post date:** [May 6, 2025, 2:30pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/error-debugger-jl-requires-a-lineeditrepl-type-of-repl/128760/1 "2025-05-06T14:30:42Z")

</div>

```julia
PS K:\uc24> julia
               _
   _ _ _(_)_ | Documentation: https://docs.julialang.org
  (_) | (_) (_) |
   _ _ _| |_ __ _ | Type "?" for help, "]?" for Pkg help.
  | | | | | | |/ _` | |
  | | |_| | | | (_| | | Version 1.11.4 (2025-03-10)
 _/ |\ __'_|_|_|\__'_| | Official https://julialang.org/ release
|__/ |

```

```julia
julia> using Debugger

julia> function foo(n)
           x = n+1
           ((BigInt[1 1; 1 0])^x)[2,1]
           end
foo (generic function with 1 method)

julia> @enter foo(20)
ERROR: Debugger.jl requires a LineEditREPL type of REPL
Stacktrace:
 [1] error(s::String)
   @ Base .\error.jl:35
 [2] RunDebugger(frame::JuliaInterpreter.Frame, repl::Nothing, terminal::Nothing; initial_continue::Bool)
   @ Debugger K:\judepot1114\packages\Debugger\kuAYs\src\repl.jl:20
 [3] RunDebugger
   @ K:\judepot1114\packages\Debugger\kuAYs\src\repl.jl:12 [inlined]
 [4] RunDebugger(frame::JuliaInterpreter.Frame)
   @ Debugger K:\judepot1114\packages\Debugger\kuAYs\src\repl.jl:12
 [5] macro expansion
   @ K:\judepot1114\packages\Debugger\kuAYs\src\Debugger.jl:127 [inlined]
 [6] top-level scope
   @ REPL[3]:1

```

This error occurs when I’m trying to use Debugger.jl, what does it suggest?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![PatrickHaecker](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/patrickhaecker/32/222891_2.png) [@PatrickHaecker](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/PatrickHaecker)\
**Post date:** [May 7, 2025, 5:22am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/error-debugger-jl-requires-a-lineeditrepl-type-of-repl/128760/2 "2025-05-07T05:22:04Z")

</div>

I can’t reproduce your error with Julia 1.11.5. Can you please upgrade to 1.11.5 and try again?  
What is your `Debugger` version? Mine is:

```julia
(@v1.11) pkg> status Debugger
Status `~/.julia/environments/v1.11/Project.toml`
  [31a5f54b] Debugger v0.7.11

```

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![WalterMadelim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/3e96dc/32.png) [@WalterMadelim](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/WalterMadelim)\
**Post date:** [May 7, 2025, 5:54am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/error-debugger-jl-requires-a-lineeditrepl-type-of-repl/128760/3 "2025-05-07T05:54:05Z")

</div>

I’ve upgraded. But the issue persists.

```julia
PS K:\uc24> julia
               _
   _ _ _(_)_ | Documentation: https://docs.julialang.org
  (_) | (_) (_) |
   _ _ _| |_ __ _ | Type "?" for help, "]?" for Pkg help.
  | | | | | | |/ _` | |
  | | |_| | | | (_| | | Version 1.11.5 (2025-04-14)
 _/ |\ __'_|_|_|\__'_| | Official https://julialang.org/ release
|__/ |

```

```julia
(uc24) pkg> st
Status `K:\uc24\Project.toml`
  [31a5f54b] Debugger v0.7.12

julia> using Debugger

julia> function foo(n)
           x = n+1
           ((BigInt[1 1; 1 0])^x)[2,1]
           end
foo (generic function with 1 method)

julia> @enter foo(20)
ERROR: Debugger.jl requires a LineEditREPL type of REPL
Stacktrace:
 [1] error(s::String)
   @ Base .\error.jl:35
 [2] RunDebugger(frame::JuliaInterpreter.Frame, repl::Nothing, terminal::Nothing; initial_continue::Bool)
   @ Debugger K:\judepot1115\packages\Debugger\kuAYs\src\repl.jl:20
 [3] RunDebugger
   @ K:\judepot1115\packages\Debugger\kuAYs\src\repl.jl:12 [inlined]
 [4] RunDebugger(frame::JuliaInterpreter.Frame)
   @ Debugger K:\judepot1115\packages\Debugger\kuAYs\src\repl.jl:12
 [5] macro expansion
   @ K:\judepot1115\packages\Debugger\kuAYs\src\Debugger.jl:127 [inlined]
 [6] top-level scope
   @ REPL[4]:1

```

Here is a related open [issue](https://github.com/JuliaDebug/Debugger.jl/issues/361). I have no idea what to do. (I remember that I could use this package properly around 2 years ago.)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![hexaeder](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/hexaeder/32/24403_2.png) [@hexaeder](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/hexaeder)\
**Post date:** [May 7, 2025, 6:34am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/error-debugger-jl-requires-a-lineeditrepl-type-of-repl/128760/4 "2025-05-07T06:34:59Z")

</div>

Can you reproduce the error with `julia --startup-file=no`?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![WalterMadelim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/3e96dc/32.png) [@WalterMadelim](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/WalterMadelim)\
**Post date:** [May 7, 2025, 6:41am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/error-debugger-jl-requires-a-lineeditrepl-type-of-repl/128760/5 "2025-05-07T06:41:19Z")

</div>

Yes, it persists.

```julia
PS K:\uc24> julia --startup-file=no 
               _
   _ _ _(_)_ | Documentation: https://docs.julialang.org
  (_) | (_) (_) |
   _ _ _| |_ __ _ | Type "?" for help, "]?" for Pkg help.
  | | | | | | |/ _` | |
  | | |_| | | | (_| | | Version 1.11.5 (2025-04-14)
# omit lines... (the same ERROR)

```

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![PatrickHaecker](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/patrickhaecker/32/222891_2.png) [@PatrickHaecker](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/PatrickHaecker)\
**Post date:** [May 7, 2025, 7:03am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/error-debugger-jl-requires-a-lineeditrepl-type-of-repl/128760/6 "2025-05-07T07:03:36Z")

</div>

Just to be sure: That’s happening in a newly opened REPL without executing anything else before, correctly? And you are in a REPL outside of e.g. VS Code?

Which OS are you using? This is Windows, isn’t it?

Your environment looks strange `(uc24)`. Can you try it in the default environment? How does your environment `uc24` look like?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![WalterMadelim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/3e96dc/32.png) [@WalterMadelim](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/WalterMadelim)\
**Post date:** [May 7, 2025, 7:17am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/error-debugger-jl-requires-a-lineeditrepl-type-of-repl/128760/7 "2025-05-07T07:17:37Z")

</div>

> [@PatrickHaecker](#):
>
> newly opened REPL without executing anything else before

Yes.

I do it in PowerShell, which I open inside VScode.  
I use the portable version for win11.

I guess it’s nothing wrong with VScode. Because I’ve used this package 2 years ago (with the same setting). At that time I can use this package properly (e.g. step into a function, executing a line etc.)

> [@PatrickHaecker](#):
>
> How does your environment `uc24` look like

It is merely a folder in windows.

 ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/original/3X/1/a/1aea667859251077b61d1f9eb7a3e89e543aae44.png)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![WalterMadelim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/3e96dc/32.png) [@WalterMadelim](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/WalterMadelim)\
**Post date:** [May 8, 2025, 1:09am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/error-debugger-jl-requires-a-lineeditrepl-type-of-repl/128760/8 "2025-05-08T01:09:07Z")

</div>

windows cmd

 ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/original/3X/a/6/a64248709ffc8558ab21dc0d76c4dbd6da790c73.png)

windows powershell

 ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/original/3X/9/0/90f5f1ad048c0dc770791f2093d8ee964ba40790.png)

Therefore I guess it’s not owing to VScode.  
@kristoffer.carlsson Could you please take a look? Thanks.

**PS** is there anyone know how to paste code in cmd and powershell (win11)? I tried `ctrl+v`, `ctrl+shift+v`, or right click, they almost don’t work! I don’t know why are they so difficult for users.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![PatrickHaecker](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/patrickhaecker/32/222891_2.png) [@PatrickHaecker](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/PatrickHaecker)\
**Post date:** [May 8, 2025, 6:18am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/error-debugger-jl-requires-a-lineeditrepl-type-of-repl/128760/9 "2025-05-08T06:18:12Z")

</div>

Thanks for al the tests. I asked about VS Code, because it has its own Debugger integration so it’s good that we could rule this out.

I am really at a loss here. Do you have the possibility to try the non-portable version and install it via `juliaup`?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![WalterMadelim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/3e96dc/32.png) [@WalterMadelim](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/WalterMadelim)\
**Post date:** [May 8, 2025, 6:20am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/error-debugger-jl-requires-a-lineeditrepl-type-of-repl/128760/10 "2025-05-08T06:20:16Z")

</div>

> [@PatrickHaecker](#):
>
> try the non-portable version and install it via `juliaup`?

Yes I can have a try. (I haven’t try this ever before. Because the portable version can be put in a non-system disk.) I’ll update later.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![WalterMadelim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/3e96dc/32.png) [@WalterMadelim](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/WalterMadelim)\
**Post date:** [May 8, 2025, 6:44am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/error-debugger-jl-requires-a-lineeditrepl-type-of-repl/128760/11 "2025-05-08T06:44:58Z")

</div>

I’ve followed the recommended way (i.e. `juliaup`) and re-installed. But the issue persists.  
The following are not the previous portable version, since I had deleted it in the PATH of ENV variables.

```julia
PS C:\Users\34682> julia
               _
   _ _ _(_)_ | Documentation: https://docs.julialang.org
  (_) | (_) (_) |
   _ _ _| |_ __ _ | Type "?" for help, "]?" for Pkg help.
  | | | | | | |/ _` | |
  | | |_| | | | (_| | | Version 1.11.5 (2025-04-14)
 _/ |\ __'_|_|_|\__'_| | Official https://julialang.org/ release
|__/ |

```

```julia
julia> import Debugger
 │ Package Debugger not found, but a package named Debugger is available from a registry.
 │ Install package?
 │ (uc24) pkg> add Debugger
 └ (y/n/o) [y]: y
    Updating registry at `K:\judepot\registries\General.toml`
   Resolving package versions...
   Installed Debugger ──────────── v0.7.12
   Installed CodeTracking ──────── v1.3.9
   Installed Crayons ───────────── v4.1.1
   Installed JuliaInterpreter ──── v0.10.3
   Installed DocStringExtensions ─ v0.9.4
   Installed Highlights ────────── v0.5.3
    Updating `K:\uc24\Project.toml`
  [31a5f54b] + Debugger v0.7.12
    Updating `K:\uc24\Manifest.toml`
  [da1fd8a2] + CodeTracking v1.3.9
  [a8cc5b0e] + Crayons v4.1.1
  [31a5f54b] + Debugger v0.7.12
  [ffbed154] + DocStringExtensions v0.9.4
  [eafb193a] + Highlights v0.5.3
  [aa1ae85d] + JuliaInterpreter v0.10.3
  [2a0f44e3] + Base64 v1.11.0
  [b77e0a4c] + InteractiveUtils v1.11.0
  [d6f4376e] + Markdown v1.11.0
  [3fa0cd96] + REPL v1.11.0
  [9a3f8284] + Random v1.11.0
  [ea8e919c] + SHA v0.7.0
  [6462fe0b] + Sockets v1.11.0
  [f489334b] + StyledStrings v1.11.0
  [cf7118a7] + UUIDs v1.11.0
  [4ec0a83e] + Unicode v1.11.0
Precompiling Debugger...
  13 dependencies successfully precompiled in 71 seconds

(uc24) pkg> st
Status `K:\uc24\Project.toml`
  [31a5f54b] Debugger v0.7.12

julia> using Debugger

julia> using Debugger

julia> 

julia> function foo(n)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           
           x = n+1                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               
           ((BigInt[1 1; 1 0])^x)[2,1]                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           
           end
foo (generic function with 1 method)

julia> 

julia> @enter foo(20)
ERROR: Debugger.jl requires a LineEditREPL type of REPL
Stacktrace:
 [1] error(s::String)
   @ Base .\error.jl:35
 [2] RunDebugger(frame::JuliaInterpreter.Frame, repl::Nothing, terminal::Nothing; initial_continue::Bool)
   @ Debugger K:\judepot\packages\Debugger\kuAYs\src\repl.jl:20
 [3] RunDebugger
   @ K:\judepot\packages\Debugger\kuAYs\src\repl.jl:12 [inlined]
 [4] RunDebugger(frame::JuliaInterpreter.Frame)
   @ Debugger K:\judepot\packages\Debugger\kuAYs\src\repl.jl:12
 [5] macro expansion
   @ K:\judepot\packages\Debugger\kuAYs\src\Debugger.jl:127 [inlined]
 [6] top-level scope
   @ REPL[5]:1

```

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![PatrickHaecker](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/patrickhaecker/32/222891_2.png) [@PatrickHaecker](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/PatrickHaecker)\
**Post date:** [May 8, 2025, 6:53am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/error-debugger-jl-requires-a-lineeditrepl-type-of-repl/128760/12 "2025-05-08T06:53:21Z")

</div>

Thanks for the additional test. Again no luck. :-/

You still seem to use the `uc24` environment, however. Could you open your package manager and just enter `activate` or start it in a different directory? If it still shows `uc24` it’s probably still the portable version and the path is still somewhere (maybe only in RAM and a restart could change it).  
If you open a command line and start the `julia` command from `juliaup` with its full path, you could also override path variables.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![WalterMadelim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/3e96dc/32.png) [@WalterMadelim](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/WalterMadelim)\
**Post date:** [May 8, 2025, 6:59am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/error-debugger-jl-requires-a-lineeditrepl-type-of-repl/128760/13 "2025-05-08T06:59:15Z")

</div>

Is my operation correct?

 ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/original/3X/b/2/b21b885809083506159fb5844ba18910dd2e3ad5.png)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![PatrickHaecker](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/patrickhaecker/32/222891_2.png) [@PatrickHaecker](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/PatrickHaecker)\
**Post date:** [May 8, 2025, 11:09am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/error-debugger-jl-requires-a-lineeditrepl-type-of-repl/128760/14 "2025-05-08T11:09:09Z")

</div>

Yes, thanks, we now know that it affects both portable and non-portable Julia and both your custom and the default environment. Unfortunately, I don’t have further ideas. I think we are at the point where you should report an [issue in the `Debugger.jl` package](https://github.com/JuliaDebug/Debugger.jl/issues).

I hope someone more knowledgeable than me can jump in and help you out. If not, the next step I would think of were to debug the `Debugger` package. I am fully aware of the irony. You could either try `Rebugger` or you could add some print statements. The call stack of your error is not that deep, so there is a chance to find something useful quite soon, but I am not sure whether you want to go down this rabbit hole.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![WalterMadelim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/3e96dc/32.png) [@WalterMadelim](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/WalterMadelim)\
**Post date:** [May 8, 2025, 12:48pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/error-debugger-jl-requires-a-lineeditrepl-type-of-repl/128760/15 "2025-05-08T12:48:38Z")

</div>

Thanks you. There is already a (spot on) open issue there.  
Maybe there are some updates that violate things, not sure whether it comes from win11, or julia packages.  
I’m not an expert at computer programming. The ironic fact might be that I could use this package properly 2 years ago. 😇 I don’t use it continuously because I find that for the most of the time it suffices to use `@info` etc. to debug. However, for those code that are not written by me and involve a deep hierarchy of calls, I do need a tool like `Debugger.jl`.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ethomag](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/ethomag/32/421_2.png) [@ethomag](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/ethomag)\
**Post date:** [March 26, 2026, 10:59am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/error-debugger-jl-requires-a-lineeditrepl-type-of-repl/128760/16 "2026-03-26T10:59:04Z")

</div>

A late reply.

I have had this same problem for a long time and I think I know where it originates (with some AI assistance). In my setup I have a custom `JULIA_DEPOT_PATH` set to `~/.julia-depot` because the default one is needed by another julia environment that is out of my control.

For this reason I get a compiled REPL in `~/.julia-depot/compiled/v1.12/REPL`, which does not seem to be the case when using the default julia depot path. The types in this new compiled `REPL` become distinct from what’s present in `sysimage.so`. That’s what causing this to fail:  
`if !isa(Base.active_repl, REPL.LineEditREPL)`

I happily acknowledge that I don’t fully understand the situation and not sure whether this is a bug somewhere, but the above is my conclusion.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![pfitzseb](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/pfitzseb/32/45566_2.png) [@pfitzseb](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/pfitzseb)\
**Post date:** [March 26, 2026, 11:08am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/error-debugger-jl-requires-a-lineeditrepl-type-of-repl/128760/17 "2026-03-26T11:08:52Z")

</div>

One thing to look out for is to have a trailing path separator when setting `JULIA_DEPOT_PATH`, so in your case `JULIA_DEPOT_PATH="~/.julia-depot:"`. Otherwise, the shipped stdlibs won’t be in your depot stack.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ethomag](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/ethomag/32/421_2.png) [@ethomag](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/ethomag)\
**Post date:** [March 27, 2026, 12:43pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/error-debugger-jl-requires-a-lineeditrepl-type-of-repl/128760/18 "2026-03-27T12:43:17Z")

</div>

Thanks @pfitzseb, I think that helped!  
I still have some weird error, but unsure if e.g. broadcasting normally works with `@enter` ?

```julia-auto
julia> @enter (123, 1) .+ (246, 2)
ERROR: UndefVarError: `REPL` not defined in `CodeTracking`
Suggestion: check for spelling errors or missing imports.
Hint: REPL is loaded but not imported in the active module Main.
Stacktrace:
  [1] src_from_REPL(origin::SubString{String}, repl::REPL.LineEditREPL)
    @ CodeTracking ~/.julia-depot/packages/CodeTracking/aZ4Q1/src/utils.jl:339
  [2] src_from_REPL(origin::SubString{String})
    @ CodeTracking ~/.julia-depot/packages/CodeTracking/aZ4Q1/src/utils.jl:338
  [3] src_from_file_or_REPL(::String)
    @ CodeTracking ~/.julia-depot/packages/CodeTracking/aZ4Q1/src/utils.jl:331
  [4] definition(::Type{String}, method::Method)
    @ CodeTracking ~/.julia-depot/packages/CodeTracking/aZ4Q1/src/CodeTracking.jl:259
  [5] body_for_method
    @ ~/.julia-depot/packages/Debugger/XviAX/src/locationinfo.jl:5 [inlined]
  [6] locinfo(frame::JuliaInterpreter.Frame)
    @ Debugger ~/.julia-depot/packages/Debugger/XviAX/src/locationinfo.jl:34
  [7] print_status(io::Base.TTY, frame::JuliaInterpreter.Frame; force_lowered::Bool)
    @ Debugger ~/.julia-depot/packages/Debugger/XviAX/src/printing.jl:151
  [8] RunDebugger(frame::JuliaInterpreter.Frame, repl::Nothing, terminal::Nothing; initial_continue::Bool)
    @ Debugger ~/.julia-depot/packages/Debugger/XviAX/src/repl.jl:166
  [9] RunDebugger
    @ ~/.julia-depot/packages/Debugger/XviAX/src/repl.jl:12 [inlined]
 [10] RunDebugger(frame::JuliaInterpreter.Frame)
    @ Debugger ~/.julia-depot/packages/Debugger/XviAX/src/repl.jl:12
 [11] top-level scope
    @ REPL[37]:1
 [12] macro expansion
    @ ~/.julia-depot/packages/Debugger/XviAX/src/Debugger.jl:127 [inlined]

```

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![pfitzseb](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/julialang/user_avatar/discourse.julialang.org/pfitzseb/32/45566_2.png) [@pfitzseb](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/pfitzseb)\
**Post date:** [March 27, 2026, 8:38pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/error-debugger-jl-requires-a-lineeditrepl-type-of-repl/128760/19 "2026-03-27T20:38:59Z")

</div>

That should be fixed if you update CodeTracking to 3.0.2 (ref [fix: add dependency on REPL by pfitzseb · Pull Request #155 · JuliaDebug/CodeTracking.jl · GitHub](https://github.com/JuliaDebug/CodeTracking.jl/pull/155)).