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Ask HN: Do you use a debugger?

15 points by karamazov 14y ago

If so, (or if not), for which languages?

stray 14y ago
Of course! Common Lisp's debugger, accessed via slime is the best thing since running water. Also a big fan of WingIDE's debugger for python.
gobengo 14y ago
I'm surprised at how few frontend developers make use of JavaScript's 'debugger;' statement. I find it invaluable.
- codewright 14y ago
  It really saves your ass when you're using underscore templates too.
- ianox 14y ago
  Especially when debugging JavaScript in an environment without any built-in browser debugger. If you ever have to debug JavaScript running inside a .NET WebBrowser control the debugger statement will help you keep your sanity.
codewright 14y ago
Prolifically in Python, JavaScript, and Clojure (sorta. I find Ritz annoying.)
- lifeisstillgood 14y ago
  Can you point to your favourite approaches (import pdb; pdb.set trace() in console or wingide or ?
  - codewright 14y ago
    I have an emacs macro that redirects stdout and hooks in ipdb, the i here is important because it's an ipython wrapped pdb session. It's amazing. JS is the usual Chrome debugger instrumentation. Clojure is a mixture of REPL, println, and Ritz. Tbqh, Clojure needs an ipdb equivalent. Ritz is really ghetto. I realize the REPL suffices for most people but I'm accustomed to injecting my full programming environment dynamically into my runtime, not having two disjoint realities.
kamaal 14y ago
On very few occasions have I ever faced a need to use a debugger. Generally those situations are places where print statements are not allowed.
jk 14y ago
gdb. I work in system software, so cross platform debugger is what helps to catch issues easily. edit: gdb to debug asm and C code
gurvinder 14y ago
how can you not use debugger and program/find defects. I mean for sure you can do print and alert, but that is highly inefficient way of debugging.
yen223 14y ago
When I work with C#, I use a debugger all the time. Learning how to attach a debugger to a running process saves a lot of headaches in the long run. On the other hand, when I work with Python, I rarely had to use a debugger. Python's grammar is so simple that simply reading through the code is usually enough to spot most errors.
zamalek 14y ago
Having been spoilt by the calibre of Microsoft debugging tools earlier on in my development career it's one of the very first things I get working when approaching new environments/languages. It's especially helpful when learning a language as experimentation is often a lot quicker than RTFM.
patforna 14y ago
For me, TDD, a REPL and the occasional console print statement almost completely eliminates the need for a debugger. That being said, I probably fire it up every couple of months when working on a java or .net project. #java #scala #ruby #javascript #.net
mayankj08 14y ago
Yes, I use debugger oftenly for GCC and I use GDB debugger for same.
shortlived 14y ago
IF the problem lends itself to debugging then a hearty "YES!" is my answer. Eclipse/Java is my debugger of choice but there are also fine standalone debuggers like JSwat or even the command line debugger.
Irishsteve 14y ago
But of course
gesman 14y ago
Yes. Live, step by step debugging of fresh code is the best ever way to find hidden bugs that are otherwise undetectable by tests.
ZephyrP 14y ago
No, I wrote my own debugger. https://github.com/zv/zdb https://github.com/zv/zdb For "serious" stuff, I have a .gdbinit file that makes GDB much more usuable, check it out if you have time. https://raw.github.com/zv/dotfilez/master/gdbinit https://raw.github.com/zv/dotfilez/master/gdbinit
room271 14y ago
I (mostly) write Scala and have never used a debugger. I'm not aware of any of my immediate colleagues who use one either.
raindrift 14y ago
Yep! The Chrome debugger for js, and pry-debugger for ruby.
smilliken 14y ago
Bpython has a nice wrapper for pdb: https://pypi.python.org/pypi/bpython/0.11 https://pypi.python.org/pypi/bpython/0.11 This is the nicest python debugger I've used.
webdisrupt 14y ago
With PHP...Xdebug which is incorporated in Netbeans IDE
nekitamo 14y ago
OllyDBG every day, for x86 assembler :)
incawater 13y ago
Yes, I use debugger regularly.

15 points by karamazov 14y ago

If so, (or if not), for which languages?

stray 14y ago

Of course! Common Lisp's debugger, accessed via slime is the best thing since running water. Also a big fan of WingIDE's debugger for python.

gobengo 14y ago

I'm surprised at how few frontend developers make use of JavaScript's 'debugger;' statement. I find it invaluable.

codewright 14y ago
It really saves your ass when you're using underscore templates too.
ianox 14y ago
Especially when debugging JavaScript in an environment without any built-in browser debugger. If you ever have to debug JavaScript running inside a .NET WebBrowser control the debugger statement will help you keep your sanity.

codewright 14y ago

Prolifically in Python, JavaScript, and Clojure (sorta. I find Ritz annoying.)

lifeisstillgood 14y ago
Can you point to your favourite approaches (import pdb; pdb.set trace() in console or wingide or ?
- codewright 14y ago
  I have an emacs macro that redirects stdout and hooks in ipdb, the i here is important because it's an ipython wrapped pdb session. It's amazing. JS is the usual Chrome debugger instrumentation. Clojure is a mixture of REPL, println, and Ritz. Tbqh, Clojure needs an ipdb equivalent. Ritz is really ghetto. I realize the REPL suffices for most people but I'm accustomed to injecting my full programming environment dynamically into my runtime, not having two disjoint realities.

kamaal 14y ago

On very few occasions have I ever faced a need to use a debugger. Generally those situations are places where print statements are not allowed.

jk 14y ago

gdb. I work in system software, so cross platform debugger is what helps to catch issues easily. edit: gdb to debug asm and C code

gurvinder 14y ago

how can you not use debugger and program/find defects. I mean for sure you can do print and alert, but that is highly inefficient way of debugging.

yen223 14y ago

When I work with C#, I use a debugger all the time. Learning how to attach a debugger to a running process saves a lot of headaches in the long run. On the other hand, when I work with Python, I rarely had to use a debugger. Python's grammar is so simple that simply reading through the code is usually enough to spot most errors.

zamalek 14y ago

Having been spoilt by the calibre of Microsoft debugging tools earlier on in my development career it's one of the very first things I get working when approaching new environments/languages. It's especially helpful when learning a language as experimentation is often a lot quicker than RTFM.

patforna 14y ago

For me, TDD, a REPL and the occasional console print statement almost completely eliminates the need for a debugger. That being said, I probably fire it up every couple of months when working on a java or .net project. #java #scala #ruby #javascript #.net

mayankj08 14y ago

Yes, I use debugger oftenly for GCC and I use GDB debugger for same.

shortlived 14y ago

IF the problem lends itself to debugging then a hearty "YES!" is my answer. Eclipse/Java is my debugger of choice but there are also fine standalone debuggers like JSwat or even the command line debugger.

Irishsteve 14y ago

But of course

gesman 14y ago

Yes. Live, step by step debugging of fresh code is the best ever way to find hidden bugs that are otherwise undetectable by tests.

ZephyrP 14y ago

No, I wrote my own debugger. https://github.com/zv/zdb https://github.com/zv/zdb For "serious" stuff, I have a .gdbinit file that makes GDB much more usuable, check it out if you have time. https://raw.github.com/zv/dotfilez/master/gdbinit https://raw.github.com/zv/dotfilez/master/gdbinit

room271 14y ago

I (mostly) write Scala and have never used a debugger. I'm not aware of any of my immediate colleagues who use one either.

raindrift 14y ago

Yep! The Chrome debugger for js, and pry-debugger for ruby.

smilliken 14y ago

Bpython has a nice wrapper for pdb: https://pypi.python.org/pypi/bpython/0.11 https://pypi.python.org/pypi/bpython/0.11 This is the nicest python debugger I've used.

webdisrupt 14y ago

With PHP...Xdebug which is incorporated in Netbeans IDE

nekitamo 14y ago

OllyDBG every day, for x86 assembler :)

incawater 13y ago

Yes, I use debugger regularly.