Debug - what is it? Debug, or debugging. in computer programming and development, this is a multi-stage process, which includes identifying a problem, identifying its source, and then correcting the failure or choosing a way for further work. The final step in debugging is to verify the correct fix.
Introduction
Software development undergoes rigorous testing, updating, troubleshooting and maintenance. In the process of debugging, ready-made software solutions are regularly compiled and executed to identify and fix problems. Large programs containing millions of lines of source code are divided into small components. For efficiency, each component is first debugged separately, and then - together in the framework of the software product.
Debug - what is it and how does it work? Tactics may include interactive debugging, control flow analysis, unit and integration testing, log file analysis, application or system level monitoring, memory dumps, and profiling.
Debug - what is it? Process description
Debug is a regular process of finding and removing crashes, errors or anomalies in a computer program that programmers process using debugging tools. Debugging checks, detects, and corrects errors to ensure that the application runs correctly in accordance with established specifications.
In software development, debugging involves finding and fixing code errors in a computer program. Debug is an important step in the software testing process and an integral part of the entire software development life cycle. The debugging process begins as soon as the code is written, and continues in the subsequent stages, since the code is combined with other programming modules to form a software product. In a large program with thousands of lines of code, the debugging process can be simplified using strategies such as unit tests, code reviews, and pair programming.
Debug in the context of MS-DOS
In MS-DOS Debug - what is it? This is a command that allows programmers to research and modify the sources of memory contents that occur in the operating system. The technique of providing instructions on computer tasks via the command line interface was originally used in MS-DOS environments to translate assembler code into working code and machine language into executable (debug.exe) files.
Debug allows developers to view the contents of memory, make changes, and then execute COM, .exe, and other types of files.
History
Microsoft first introduced the debug command in MS-DOS 1.0 as a method for testing programs. Additional functionality was added - the tool focused on various operational tasks, such as displaying the contents of a part of the memory, entering data at the specified address, launching executable memory files, hexadecimal arithmetic, and manipulating registration memory.
An important step in detecting errors
After detecting a software failure, you must find the error in the code (Debug error). At this point, it’s useful to review the code logging and use the stand-alone debugger tool or the integrated development environment (IDE) debugging component. Initially, errors are detected and fixed in the most popular functions. In some cases, the module that represents the problem is obvious, but the line of code itself is not. In this case, unit tests, such as JUnit and xUnit, which allow the programmer to run a specific function with specific inputs, can be useful in debugging.
Debugging process
Standard practice is to set up and run the program to the stopping point at which the program stops. The IDE debugging component usually provides the programmer with the ability to view the memory and variables, run the program to the next final point, execute only the next line of code, and in some cases change the value of the variables or the contents of the line of code to be executed.
General debugging tools
Source code analyzers, which include security, common code errors, and complexity analyzers, can also be useful when debugging. The complexity analyzer is able to find modules that are so complex that they are difficult to understand and verify. Some tools can actually analyze a test run to see which lines of code were not running. This can greatly help in debugging. Other debugging tools include advanced logging and simulators that allow a professional programmer to simulate program behavior on user equipment.
Troubleshooting Software Errors
Some tools, especially open source tools and scripting languages, do not run in the IDE and require a manual debugging approach. Such methods include flushing values to the log, extended “printed” statements added during code execution, or hard-coded debug commands (such as wait) that simulate a breakpoint while waiting for keyboard input at a specific time.
Debug Dump Files - can it be deleted?
After a failure, many users find system files in the program storage location. Documents are called Debug Dump Files. Can I delete them? These are debug files that are created after a software malfunction to help determine the cause of the error. If you are not trying to fix the problem, you can remove them.