What is also useful are the various web framework's support for debugging in realtime. If you haven't worked on a web application that lets you just type code

What is also useful are the various web framework's support for debugging in realtime. If you haven't worked on a web application that lets you just type code in when it throws a 500 I highly recommend it. Also what I like to do with ipdb is set a debug point and just write new functionality in real time. Most good programmers probably do this in their heads but having a computer do it for you is the next best thing. You catch bugs almost immediately (hey this variable isn't supposed to be empty!). It feels pretty cool to send a request to a web app and just pound out the code to make it respond correctly before the browser gives up on the HTTP connection.