## Command `memory`

As long as the 'memory' section is enabled in your context layout (which it is by default), you can
register addresses, lengths, and grouping size.

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![memory watch](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/hugsy/gef/refs/heads/main/docs/assets/images/memory-watch.png)
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_Note_: this command **should NOT** be mistaken with the [GDB `watch`
command](https://sourceware.org/gdb/current/onlinedocs/gdb/Set-Watchpoints.html) meant to set
breakpoints on memory access (read,write,exec).

### Adding a watch

Specify a location to watch and display with the context, along with their optional size and format:

Syntax:

```text
memory watch <ADDRESS> [SIZE] [(qword|dword|word|byte|pointers)]
```

If the format specified is `pointers`, then the output will be similar to executing the command
`dereference $address`. For all other format, the output will be an hexdump of the designated
location.

Note that the address format is a GDB therefore a symbol can be passed to it. It also supports
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[GEF functions format](https://www.technovelty.org/linux/plt-and-got-the-key-to-code-sharing-and-dynamic-libraries.html)
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allowing to easily track commonly used addresses:

For example, to watch the first 5 entries of the [GOT](https://hugsy.github.io/gef/functions/got/)
as pointers:

```text
gef ➤ memory watch $_got()+0x18 5
[+] Adding memwatch to 0x555555773c50
```

Which, when the `context` is displayed, will show something like:
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![gef-context-memory](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/hugsy/gef/refs/heads/main/docs/assets/images/gef-context-memory.png)
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### Removing a watch

Remove a watched address. To list all the addresses being watched, use `memory list`.

Syntax:

```text
memory unwatch <ADDRESS>
```

### Listing watches

Enumerate all the addresses currently watched by the `memory` command.

Syntax:

```text
memory list
```

The command will output a list of all the addresses watched, along with the size and format to
display them as.

### Resetting watches

Empties the list of addresses to watch.

Syntax:

```text
memory reset
```
