One or more of the sub-protocols listed in the table below may be implemented by EDBG. Each one implements its own command handler, and is self-contained in terms of configuration parameters. Which protocol to use is given by the ID being put into the "Protocol handler ID" field in the main frame format. Then the command or response follows as the "Payload" field in the main frame format.
| ID | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 0x00 | DISCOVERY | For discovering the feature set of the tool |
| 0x01 | HOUSEKEEPING (HK) | Housekeeping functions |
| 0x11 | AVRISP | Programming of tinyAVR® and megaAVR® using AVRISP commands (SPI-based programming) |
| 0x12 | AVR8GENERIC |
|
| 0x13 | AVR32GENERIC | Programming and debugging of AVR UC3 32-bit microcontrollers using JTAG and aWire |
| 0x14 | TPI | Programming of tinyAVR devices using TPI |
| 0x20 | EDBG_CTRL | Control and configuration of EDBG |