All About Debugging: The Techniques (2024)

FAQs

What are the techniques of debugging? ›

Top debugging techniques include understanding the problem, backtracing, using debugging tools, setting breakpoints, binary search, rubber ducking, log analysis, clustering bugs, taking breaks, and learning from each debugging session.

Isolate the source of the bug. Identify the cause of the bug. Determine a fix for the bug. Apply the fix and test it.

Debugging, in computer programming and engineering, is a multistep process that involves identifying a problem, isolating the source of the problem and then either correcting the problem or determining a way to work around it.

The most common scheme for debugging a program is the "brute force" method. It is popular because it requires little thought and is the least mentally taxing of the methods, but it is inefficient and generally unsuccessful.

Debugging difficulties can often be traced back to poor code quality, which can be caused by a lack of documentation, comments, standards, testing, refactoring, or version control. Poor code quality can make it difficult to understand, maintain, and modify the program as well as identify and fix errors and bugs.

There are several common methods and techniques used in debugging, including code inspection, debugging tools, unit testing, integration testing, system testing, monitoring, and logging. It is an iterative process that may take multiple attempts to identify and resolve all bugs in a software system.

Debuggers are distinct tools that give developers the ability to watch and control how their program is being run. A debugger lets you set a breakpoint in your code, normally by highlighting a line of code, then when the application runs in debug mode the debugger can intercept the program and halt execution.

Which debugging technique do you use most often and why? ›

The most common debugging strategy is likely the brute force method—despite also being the least efficient. As the name suggests, this method lacks an organized, structured approach to resolving software bugs. Instead, developers step through the code, trying various fixes until they stumble across a resolution.

Rule #1: Understand the system

You need to have a good understanding of the system you are trying to debug. It helps not just in finding the bugs but also in fixing them without breaking something else. Read the docs — Design docs, study the code, runbooks, etc. Don't just skim them, the devil is in the details.

In my words — “A first principle is that point in which you are sure that everything is correct”. Whenever I make a mistake and is not able to find out why the code broke, I start from the point in which the code was working well and fine.

Testing is the process using which we find errors and bugs. Debugging is the process using which we correct the bugs that we found during the testing process.

2 Breakpoints and stepping

Another common debugging technique is to use breakpoints and stepping tools. Breakpoints are locations in your code where you want to pause the execution and inspect the state of your program. You can set breakpoints manually or conditionally, depending on your needs.

Oscilloscopes: Essential tools for analyzing and troubleshooting electrical signals. Logic Analyzers: Devices used for monitoring and analyzing digital signals. Protocol Analyzers: Tools for capturing and analyzing communication data between system components.