diff --git a/filament/backend/include/backend/DescriptorSetOffsetArray.h b/filament/backend/include/backend/DescriptorSetOffsetArray.h
index 3c7b85664bc..55c06dbeb2d 100644
--- a/filament/backend/include/backend/DescriptorSetOffsetArray.h
+++ b/filament/backend/include/backend/DescriptorSetOffsetArray.h
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@
 
 #include <backend/DriverApiForward.h>
 
+#include <utils/ostream.h>
+
 #include <initializer_list>
 #include <memory>
 
@@ -98,4 +100,8 @@ class DescriptorSetOffsetArray {
 
 } // namespace filament::backend
 
+#if !defined(NDEBUG)
+utils::io::ostream& operator<<(utils::io::ostream& out, const filament::backend::DescriptorSetOffsetArray& rhs);
+#endif
+
 #endif //TNT_FILAMENT_BACKEND_COMMANDSTREAMVECTOR_H
diff --git a/filament/backend/include/backend/DriverEnums.h b/filament/backend/include/backend/DriverEnums.h
index 358c5420260..ea4c41dfd33 100644
--- a/filament/backend/include/backend/DriverEnums.h
+++ b/filament/backend/include/backend/DriverEnums.h
@@ -440,18 +440,6 @@ enum class SamplerType : uint8_t {
     SAMPLER_CUBEMAP_ARRAY,  //!< Cube map array texture (feature level 2)
 };
 
-inline const char* stringify(SamplerType samplerType) {
-    switch (samplerType) {
-        case SamplerType::SAMPLER_2D: return "SAMPLER_2D";
-        case SamplerType::SAMPLER_2D_ARRAY: return "SAMPLER_2D_ARRAY";
-        case SamplerType::SAMPLER_CUBEMAP: return "SAMPLER_CUBEMAP";
-        case SamplerType::SAMPLER_EXTERNAL: return "SAMPLER_EXTERNAL";
-        case SamplerType::SAMPLER_3D: return "SAMPLER_3D";
-        case SamplerType::SAMPLER_CUBEMAP_ARRAY: return "SAMPLER_CUBEMAP_ARRAY";
-    }
-    return "UNKNOWN";
-}
-
 //! Subpass type
 enum class SubpassType : uint8_t {
     SUBPASS_INPUT
@@ -781,23 +769,6 @@ enum class TextureUsage : uint16_t {
     ALL_ATTACHMENTS     = COLOR_ATTACHMENT | DEPTH_ATTACHMENT | STENCIL_ATTACHMENT | SUBPASS_INPUT,   //!< Mask of all attachments
 };
 
-inline const char* stringify(TextureUsage usage) {
-    switch (usage) {
-        case TextureUsage::NONE: return "NONE";
-        case TextureUsage::COLOR_ATTACHMENT: return "COLOR_ATTACHMENT";
-        case TextureUsage::DEPTH_ATTACHMENT: return "DEPTH_ATTACHMENT";
-        case TextureUsage::STENCIL_ATTACHMENT: return "STENCIL_ATTACHMENT";
-        case TextureUsage::UPLOADABLE: return "UPLOADABLE";
-        case TextureUsage::SAMPLEABLE: return "SAMPLEABLE";
-        case TextureUsage::SUBPASS_INPUT: return "SUBPASS_INPUT";
-        case TextureUsage::BLIT_SRC: return "BLIT_SRC";
-        case TextureUsage::BLIT_DST: return "BLIT_DST";
-        case TextureUsage::PROTECTED: return "PROTECTED";
-        case TextureUsage::DEFAULT: return "DEFAULT";
-        default: return "UNKNOWN";
-    }
-}
-
 //! Texture swizzle
 enum class TextureSwizzle : uint8_t {
     SUBSTITUTE_ZERO,
@@ -1381,12 +1352,16 @@ utils::io::ostream& operator<<(utils::io::ostream& out, filament::backend::Textu
 utils::io::ostream& operator<<(utils::io::ostream& out, filament::backend::TextureUsage usage);
 utils::io::ostream& operator<<(utils::io::ostream& out, filament::backend::BufferObjectBinding binding);
 utils::io::ostream& operator<<(utils::io::ostream& out, filament::backend::TextureSwizzle swizzle);
+utils::io::ostream& operator<<(utils::io::ostream& out, filament::backend::ShaderStage shaderStage);
+utils::io::ostream& operator<<(utils::io::ostream& out, filament::backend::ShaderStageFlags stageFlags);
+utils::io::ostream& operator<<(utils::io::ostream& out, filament::backend::CompilerPriorityQueue compilerPriorityQueue);
+utils::io::ostream& operator<<(utils::io::ostream& out, filament::backend::PushConstantVariant pushConstantVariant);
 utils::io::ostream& operator<<(utils::io::ostream& out, const filament::backend::AttributeArray& type);
+utils::io::ostream& operator<<(utils::io::ostream& out, const filament::backend::DescriptorSetLayout& dsl);
 utils::io::ostream& operator<<(utils::io::ostream& out, const filament::backend::PolygonOffset& po);
 utils::io::ostream& operator<<(utils::io::ostream& out, const filament::backend::RasterState& rs);
 utils::io::ostream& operator<<(utils::io::ostream& out, const filament::backend::RenderPassParams& b);
 utils::io::ostream& operator<<(utils::io::ostream& out, const filament::backend::Viewport& v);
-utils::io::ostream& operator<<(utils::io::ostream& out, filament::backend::ShaderStageFlags stageFlags);
 #endif
 
 #endif // TNT_FILAMENT_BACKEND_DRIVERENUMS_H
diff --git a/filament/backend/src/CommandStream.cpp b/filament/backend/src/CommandStream.cpp
index d12ac923bb5..bb2207be530 100644
--- a/filament/backend/src/CommandStream.cpp
+++ b/filament/backend/src/CommandStream.cpp
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ static void printParameterPack(io::ostream& out, const FIRST& first, const REMAI
 }
 
 static UTILS_NOINLINE UTILS_UNUSED std::string extractMethodName(std::string& command) noexcept {
-    constexpr const char startPattern[] = "::Command<&(filament::backend::Driver::";
+    constexpr const char startPattern[] = "::Command<&filament::backend::Driver::";
     auto pos = command.rfind(startPattern);
     auto end = command.rfind('(');
     pos += sizeof(startPattern) - 1;
diff --git a/filament/backend/src/Handle.cpp b/filament/backend/src/Handle.cpp
index 91d0ee0a3a1..77c1fbc6be4 100644
--- a/filament/backend/src/Handle.cpp
+++ b/filament/backend/src/Handle.cpp
@@ -16,11 +16,15 @@
 
 #include <backend/Handle.h>
 
+#include <utils/compiler.h>
+#include <utils/CallStack.h>
+#include <utils/ostream.h>
+
 #ifndef NDEBUG
 #   include <string>
 #endif
 
-#include <utils/CallStack.h>
+#include <stddef.h>
 
 using namespace utils;
 
@@ -28,7 +32,7 @@ namespace filament::backend {
 
 #ifndef NDEBUG
 
-static char const * const kOurNamespace = "filament::backend";
+static char const * const kOurNamespace = "filament::backend::";
 
 // removes all occurrences of "what" from "str"
 UTILS_NOINLINE
@@ -67,6 +71,9 @@ template io::ostream& operator<<(io::ostream& out, const Handle<HwSwapChain>& h)
 template io::ostream& operator<<(io::ostream& out, const Handle<HwStream>& h) noexcept;
 template io::ostream& operator<<(io::ostream& out, const Handle<HwTimerQuery>& h) noexcept;
 template io::ostream& operator<<(io::ostream& out, const Handle<HwBufferObject>& h) noexcept;
+template io::ostream& operator<<(io::ostream& out, const Handle<HwDescriptorSet>& h) noexcept;
+template io::ostream& operator<<(io::ostream& out, const Handle<HwDescriptorSetLayout>& h) noexcept;
+template io::ostream& operator<<(io::ostream& out, const Handle<HwVertexBufferInfo>& h) noexcept;
 
 #endif
 
diff --git a/filament/backend/src/metal/MetalDriver.mm b/filament/backend/src/metal/MetalDriver.mm
index 46dcb3716ea..a8eee36dcb7 100644
--- a/filament/backend/src/metal/MetalDriver.mm
+++ b/filament/backend/src/metal/MetalDriver.mm
@@ -452,6 +452,36 @@
     }
 }
 
+// fixme: TextureUsage is a bitfield
+inline const char* stringify(TextureUsage usage) {
+    switch (usage) {
+        case TextureUsage::NONE: return "NONE";
+        case TextureUsage::COLOR_ATTACHMENT: return "COLOR_ATTACHMENT";
+        case TextureUsage::DEPTH_ATTACHMENT: return "DEPTH_ATTACHMENT";
+        case TextureUsage::STENCIL_ATTACHMENT: return "STENCIL_ATTACHMENT";
+        case TextureUsage::UPLOADABLE: return "UPLOADABLE";
+        case TextureUsage::SAMPLEABLE: return "SAMPLEABLE";
+        case TextureUsage::SUBPASS_INPUT: return "SUBPASS_INPUT";
+        case TextureUsage::BLIT_SRC: return "BLIT_SRC";
+        case TextureUsage::BLIT_DST: return "BLIT_DST";
+        case TextureUsage::PROTECTED: return "PROTECTED";
+        case TextureUsage::DEFAULT: return "DEFAULT";
+        default: return "UNKNOWN";
+    }
+}
+
+inline const char* stringify(SamplerType samplerType) {
+    switch (samplerType) {
+        case SamplerType::SAMPLER_2D: return "SAMPLER_2D";
+        case SamplerType::SAMPLER_2D_ARRAY: return "SAMPLER_2D_ARRAY";
+        case SamplerType::SAMPLER_CUBEMAP: return "SAMPLER_CUBEMAP";
+        case SamplerType::SAMPLER_EXTERNAL: return "SAMPLER_EXTERNAL";
+        case SamplerType::SAMPLER_3D: return "SAMPLER_3D";
+        case SamplerType::SAMPLER_CUBEMAP_ARRAY: return "SAMPLER_CUBEMAP_ARRAY";
+    }
+    return "UNKNOWN";
+}
+
 void MetalDriver::createTextureR(Handle<HwTexture> th, SamplerType target, uint8_t levels,
         TextureFormat format, uint8_t samples, uint32_t width, uint32_t height,
         uint32_t depth, TextureUsage usage) {
diff --git a/filament/backend/src/ostream.cpp b/filament/backend/src/ostream.cpp
index 36d93dfbec3..a7c8d0dafeb 100644
--- a/filament/backend/src/ostream.cpp
+++ b/filament/backend/src/ostream.cpp
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
  */
 
 #include <backend/BufferDescriptor.h>
+#include <backend/DescriptorSetOffsetArray.h>
 #include <backend/DriverEnums.h>
 #include <backend/PipelineState.h>
 #include <backend/PixelBufferDescriptor.h>
@@ -22,6 +23,8 @@
 
 #include <utils/ostream.h>
 
+#include <variant>
+
 using namespace filament;
 using namespace backend;
 using namespace utils;
@@ -475,11 +478,53 @@ io::ostream& operator<<(io::ostream& out, RenderPassParams const& params) {
 }
 
 io::ostream& operator<<(io::ostream& out, MRT const& mrt) {
-    // TODO: implement decoding of enum
+    // TODO: implement decoding of MRT
     out << "MRT{...}";
     return out;
 }
 
+io::ostream& operator<<(io::ostream& out, ShaderStage shaderStage) {
+    switch (shaderStage) {
+        CASE(ShaderStage, VERTEX)
+        CASE(ShaderStage, FRAGMENT)
+        CASE(ShaderStage, COMPUTE)
+    }
+    return out;
+}
+
+io::ostream& operator<<(io::ostream& out, CompilerPriorityQueue compilerPriorityQueue) {
+    switch (compilerPriorityQueue) {
+        CASE(CompilerPriorityQueue, HIGH)
+        CASE(CompilerPriorityQueue, LOW)
+    }
+    return out;
+}
+
+io::ostream& operator<<(io::ostream& out, TextureUsage usage) {
+    // TODO: implement decoding of TextureUsage bitfield
+    out << uint32_t(usage);
+    return out;
+}
+
+io::ostream& operator<<(io::ostream& out, PushConstantVariant pushConstantVariant) {
+    std::visit([&](auto&& arg) {
+        out << arg;
+    }, pushConstantVariant);
+    return out;
+}
+
+io::ostream& operator<<(io::ostream& out, DescriptorSetLayout const& dsl) {
+    // TODO: implement decoding of DescriptorSetLayout
+    out << "DescriptorSetLayout{...}";
+    return out;
+}
+
+io::ostream& operator<<(io::ostream& out, DescriptorSetOffsetArray const& dsa) {
+    // TODO: implement decoding of DescriptorSetOffsetArray
+    out << "DescriptorSetOffsetArray{...}";
+    return out;
+}
+
 io::ostream& operator<<(io::ostream& stream, ShaderStageFlags stageFlags) {
     const char* str = nullptr;
     switch (stageFlags) {
diff --git a/libs/utils/include/utils/CString.h b/libs/utils/include/utils/CString.h
index d5b7695106d..9db39bc73fb 100644
--- a/libs/utils/include/utils/CString.h
+++ b/libs/utils/include/utils/CString.h
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 // NOTE: this header should not include STL headers
 
 #include <utils/compiler.h>
+#include <utils/ostream.h>
 
 #include <assert.h>
 #include <stddef.h>
@@ -181,6 +182,10 @@ class UTILS_PUBLIC CString {
     };
 
 private:
+#if !defined(NDEBUG)
+    friend io::ostream& operator<<(io::ostream& out, const CString& rhs);
+#endif
+
     struct Data {
         size_type length;
     };
diff --git a/libs/utils/include/utils/Invocable.h b/libs/utils/include/utils/Invocable.h
index 49b43071813..2243e7872c3 100644
--- a/libs/utils/include/utils/Invocable.h
+++ b/libs/utils/include/utils/Invocable.h
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@
 #ifndef TNT_UTILS_INVOKABLE_H
 #define TNT_UTILS_INVOKABLE_H
 
+#include <utils/ostream.h>
+
 #include <type_traits>
 #include <utility>
 
@@ -81,6 +83,11 @@ class Invocable<R(Args...)> {
     explicit operator bool() const noexcept;
 
 private:
+#if !defined(NDEBUG)
+    friend io::ostream& operator<<(io::ostream& out, const Invocable&) {
+        return out << "Invocable<>"; // TODO: is there a way to do better here?
+    }
+#endif
     void* mInvocable = nullptr;
     void (*mDeleter)(void*) = nullptr;
     R (* mInvoker)(void*, Args...) = nullptr;
diff --git a/libs/utils/src/CString.cpp b/libs/utils/src/CString.cpp
index 28b58d5f392..3e540a22e89 100644
--- a/libs/utils/src/CString.cpp
+++ b/libs/utils/src/CString.cpp
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 #include <utils/CString.h>
 
 #include <utils/compiler.h>
+#include <utils/ostream.h>
 
 #include <algorithm>
 #include <memory>
@@ -97,4 +98,11 @@ CString& CString::replace(size_type pos, size_type len, const CString& str) noex
     return *this;
 }
 
+#if !defined(NDEBUG)
+io::ostream& operator<<(io::ostream& out, const utils::CString& rhs) {
+    return out << rhs.c_str_safe();
+}
+#endif
+
 } // namespace utils
+