/debugging-skills

Debugging Skills

Debugging is an essential skill for software developers, and being good and fast at it can save a lot of time and effort. Here are some simple steps that can help you become a better debugger:

  • Reproduce the issue: Reproducing the issue is key to understanding the problem. Try to break down the issue into smaller steps and identify the exact point where the error occurs.

  • Isolate the problem: Once you've identified where the error is occurring, isolate the relevant piece of code to narrow down the problem. This can help you find the root cause of the issue more quickly.

  • Use debugging tools: Use debugging tools, like breakpoints, to pause the program at the point of the error. Then, step through the code and examine variables to see where the problem may be. This can be much faster than guessing at the issue and making changes to the code.

  • Use logging: If you can’t use a debugger, resort to logging. Log information that will help you pinpoint the bug. Use these logs to trace the program's execution path.

  • Test and validate: Once you've made changes to your code, test and validate your solution to make sure it works as intended.

  • Document your findings: Document the issue, how you fixed it, and your general approach to debugging so that you can refer to it again later. Share your findings with your team to help others debug similar issues.

By following these simple steps and incorporating best practices, you can become a better and faster debugger and help ensure that your code meets business requirements and delivers value to end-users.

Code is a liability, not an asset. So the goal of a software engineer is to deliver the maximum amount of desired functionality at the cost of the least amount of code complexity, even as desired functionality evolves over time.

Resources