Debugging
Arnav Ahuja
15 replies
How do skilled engineers get better at debugging? I definitely struggle to get myself out of loopholes and find myself asking for help. I want to get better at debugging and would love to hear how others have overcome this problem.
Any advice other than just continually practicing would be greatly appreciated!
Replies
Emily Wheeler@emily_wh_eeler
Work on debugging exercises or challenges designed to improve your skills. These can help you get accustomed to different types of bugs and solutions.
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@emily_wh_eeler thanks for the response! any specific exercises you have in mind?
Start by mastering your debugging tools. Knowing how to use breakpoints, watch variables, and step through code can make a huge diffrenece
Break down the problem into smaller parts and isolate each section. This method can help narrow down where the issue might be
Work with others and review each other's code. Pair programming or code reviews can offer new perspectives and highlight issues you might have missed
@morgan__harris pair programming has been best for me. I definitely learn best that way.
Break down the problem into smaller parts and test each component individually. This method helps isolate issues more effectively.
Use debugging tools like breakpoints and stack traces.
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Yeah, debugging is essential. I've found the Chrome DevTools super helpful for web development - you can set breakpoints, step through code, watch variables, and even debug on mobile devices. For backend code, the debugger in VS Code is my go-to. Mastering these tools has def leveled up my debugging game.
When possible, code against unit tests (each function should do only one thing and do it well). Throw exceptions with as much detail as possible. Don't repeat yourself - everything that needs to be said should only be said in one place. If any infrastructure or architecture makes testing awkward, then create mock-up architecture for testing. And whatever language you are using: read up and know its best practices.
There should not be black boxes in your mind regarding the solutions you develop. For example, if you copy/paste code from tutorials, ChatGPT, or StackOverflow without reading the description of what it does.
If you encounter some part you don't comprehend, seek understanding first.
Then, you can split the execution into the steps it goes through to narrow it down one step at a time. Debugger or printing out - it doesn't matter - it's just personal preference.
Totally agree, debugging skills are huge. A few tips that helped me: 1) Get comfortable with the debugging tools in your IDE, 2) Practice stepping through code line by line to understand the flow, 3) Use print statements liberally to check variable values at different points. Mastering debugging made me way more confident tackling complex bugs.
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