“ My experiences with debugging skills, how they contribute to your success so far ”

“Debugging is the process of identifying and removing errors from computer hardware or software.”

As it is known to the majority of us, programming is probably one of the most important skills for current and future generations to acquire. For young learners, programming helps them develop problem-solving skills, that is, to solve a problem logically and creatively. But programming isn’t just about program learning or logic learning. A majority part of programming, in my opinion, revolves around debugging too.

Programmers spend an excessive percent of the time debugging in place of writing code. As for me, debugging consumed most of the time while I had just initially started to code. It used to get exhausting and tiring when I would sit on my code to work and it wouldn’t work because of the debugs I failed to spot. Initially, I spent a gaggle of some time debugging code instead of writing new stuff, which usually made me want to give up. But it got better with time, once I learned to analyze my weak points when it came to my debugging skills.

• What is debugging?

We all have bugs in our applications because nobody is fully aware and has mastered all of the programs, and sometimes we tend to make mistakes. After all, there is no way to stop being human. We can only study ourselves, our tools, and our bugs to find solutions that can help us be more effective at reducing the bugs we create. Once I realized this, I started paying more attention to the way I wrote my code and tried to make it more error-free.

• How do I deal with bugs?

A very straight direct approach for me would be to pretend as if I were the compiler. It helps me find and correct as many mistakes as I may, earlier than urgent the Compile button.

Other than that three main ways are using which I handle bugs:
1. Pre-debugging: reducing bugs before they are created.
2. Debugging: identifying, fixing, and removing bugs once they are found.
3. Post-debugging: expecting unexpected or unknown bugs.

Programming can seem like a trial and error sport where you do it until you get it right. But it is important to plan before code. This personally helps me a lot. ‌‌In short, planning the inputs, processes, and outputs of a function or program not only helps you reduce bugs but also helps you write effective tests.

• How does debugging help me with coding?

To be completely honest, I used to spend a ridiculous amount of time debugging. But now that I have improved my debugging skills to some extent, I would say it helps me save tons of time and energy and gives a whole new level of mental peace.

I have a better idea of the types of errors I might make in the future and can now successfully avoid them. It has definitely increased my efficiency as a programmer and while there’s still room for improvement, I’d say learning how to analyze your bugs and knowing how they are fixed can help you in a long way and must not be overlooked.