Debugging Fundamentals

Is debugging the same as testing?

No. Debugging is a tool used by developers to investigate suspected defects, whereas unit testing is implemented by developers to verify logic and is considered a form of testing.

What causes the specific type of defect debuggers are designed to investigate?

A defect where a programmer’s expectation of their own code is inconsistent with its actual execution—the computer does what it is told, but not what the programmer intended.

What are the two main capabilities a debugger provides during execution?

1. It enables developers to step through code one line at a time in execution order.

2. It identifies the values stored in variables at each step.

What are the three primary options for investigating a code issue?

1. Visually reviewing the code.

2. Introducing print statements.

3. Using a debugger.

Explain the "Go" and "Step" functions in the IDLE debugger.

Go: Executes code normally until it completes or hits a breakpoint.

Step: Executes a single instruction; if the line is a function call, it steps into that function.

Explain the "Over" and "Out" functions in the IDLE debugger.

Over: Executes one instruction but steps over function calls rather than into them.

Out: Continues execution until the debugger leaves the current function.

What is the advantage of using a breakpoint?

They allow a developer to bypass irrelevant code and jump directly to the specific area of interest, making the investigation far more efficient than manual stepping.