How using the debugger has been a game changer

Debuggers provide real-time insights into the variables, data structures, and execution flow of your program.

Using a debugger is what I now consider an essential skill that significantly enhanced my capabilities as a developer. Debugging is the process of identifying and fixing errors, bugs, or unexpected behavior in your code, and a debugger is a tool that assists you in this process. Here are several ways in which using a debugger has made me a better developer:

Efficient Issue Identification: Debuggers allow you to inspect the state of your code at different points during its execution. By setting breakpoints and stepping through the code, I could pinpoint exactly where issues occur. This level of precision helped me identify and understand problems more efficiently than relying solely on console logs.

Real-time Code Inspection: Debuggers allowed me to inspect the values of variables and understand how they changed as my code would run. This visibility helped me gain a deeper understanding of my code's behavior and aided in identifying logical errors.

Code Understanding and Exploration: Debugging encourages a more thorough exploration of the codebase. As I'd step through the code, I could observe how different components interacted and I understood the flow of control. This hands-on experience contributed to a better comprehension of mycode, making me more adept at troubleshooting.

Confidence in Code Changes: With a debugger, I could test and validate my code changes more effectively. By observing the impact of my modifications on the code's execution, I'd gain confidence that my changes would be correct and would not introduce unintended consequences.

In summary, incorporating a debugger not only made me a more proficient troubleshooter but also contributed to a deeper understanding of my code, leading to improved coding practices and more robust software development.