Edit: It seems backticks (``) don't indicate code, so the following is shown as `/test/`: `/*test*/` (End edit.) I personally prefer something like

Edit: It seems backticks (``) don't indicate code, so the following is shown as `/test/`: `/*test*/` (End edit.) I personally prefer something like // In some entry point, sticking DEBUG on the global object or outermost scope var DEBUG = true; // Somehow don't minify this if (DEBUG) { // arbitrary JavaScript } with `sed s/DEBUG/false/g` (simplified) or inserting `var DEBUG = false;` somewhere* to strip debug blocks from the source when compiling minified/release versions. Dead code elimination throws away debug blocks, and this method doesn't require you to pass your code through a tool every time you develop (so line numbers, etc. always match). Yes, it's not robust, and I realize this solution is. But modifying something like Uglify or Google Closure Compiler to replace DEBUG's value wouldn't be a bad idea, I think, if you really care about strings and such not being replaced. Something similar can be accomplished (though it's a bit more limiting) if you replace special comment tokens. For example: /*DEBUG*/ { // Debug code here } I would see the use if this tool did more than replacement magic. For example, I could specify `/profile/` somewhere inside a function and it would automatically be instrumented for profiling. Or, `/count/` could increment some global variable (unique to each `/count/` instance) easily accessible and useable from a JavaScript console (perhaps based upon the containing function's name or line number?), or `/count-print/` could do the same but printing every second or every 100 calls. But even for these cases, I see myself manually instrumenting these instead of configuring a tool and sticking it in my development workflow. *Sometimes, `var` statements (even with a constant) are not inlined by Google Closure Compiler (only minifier I am aware of which performs inlining).