Debugging

Debugging is the act of finding and fixing errors within programs. This is something all developers do daily no matter which language (JavaScript, Python, C, etc.) is used. These errors are also called software bugs which are defects or problems in a computer program that displays unexpeected or unintended behavior. The term 'bug' was first named back in 1940 at Harvard University where an actual bug caused an error within a computer.

The Debugging Process

IDENTIFY

When trying to fix a bug, we need to first become aware that there is a bug in the program. At this stage we need to identify the point in which the bug occurred. Did it occur during development? During testing our software? During production?

FIND

After pinpointing where the bug occurred, we need to isolate where exactly the bug is happening in the code. For JavaScript, we use the developer console to find simple bugs and the debugger tool for more complex bugs.

FIX

Once we know where the bug is located, we need to fix the code where the bug occurred. We take a logical approach and replace the error code with the corrent solution.

PREVENT

Finally, when the code is fixed, we need to make sure the same error does not occur again. Once the problem is solved, we run a diagnosis within the entire codebase and search for any similar code in case there is a similar bug. This can be done easier by using testing softwares.