5 Key Practices to Follow for Debugging/Troubleshooting Software Development Applications.

As a developer, I’ve found that the most difficult and time consuming aspect can be debugging/Troubleshooting. Here are 5 practices I follow for debugging/Troubleshooting any of my programs and applications. (Outside of searching the internet).

1) Reproducing the Bug

Knowing your own code is crucial. Some bugs in your code can or cannot be reproduced depending on the scenario. Knowing your environment and what files, data, and configuration settings you’ve established is important. Sometimes the same code can reproduce many different types of results or errors. Knowing your environment is crucial to understanding if your code is producing bugs.

2) Precautionary Testing

Anytime I build new components in my models and implement them, I make sure to continuously test the application before moving on to the next component. Setting up break points are key for understanding the component being worked on and the process the application takes for compilation. Understanding how your code compiles can effectively determine bugs. Going back is a lot easier, because you know the points of your code that may not be producing errors/bugs.

3 ) Using a Git Repository

When building an application it is important to determine the phases and process of how it will be built. This is important in determining how I push to Git as well. I break down each phase and each component. When pushing based on phases of implementation and if I have a crucial error, it is a lot easier to determine by going back to a previous commit. This helps me determine a point I can go back to if I do need to change how I want to implement a component.

4) Take a break 

Sometimes the best practice is to not get hung up on the problem. Overthinking can be frustrating and won’t lead to a solution. This may sound silly, but it is important to rest on your problem. Your brain needs some time to process what has been investigated. Some of the best solutions I’ve found have been from taking a short coffee break, to ease my mind. Some solutions are right under your nose but overthinking disrupts finding the solution.

5) Learning from my mistakes

Every program and application has many lessons to be learned. From troubleshooting and debugging to learning new methods of implementation. Progress is important for troubleshooting in the future because similar mistakes can arise. Learning from these mistakes can make anyone a more efficient developer.