I almost never Debug my code.
Somehow this is strange in the eyes of fellow developers. They can’t image coding without a debugger.
For example, I have never felt the need to attach a debugger to a deployed Dynamics 365 Plugin. Never!
Ok, one time. I wanted to know how to debug remotely into a Dynamics 365 environment.
I see some developers hooked on debuggers; they have a tough time coding without it.
How do I do it? Four ways:
1️⃣ Deducing
I can pretty well deduce how code works, just by looking at it and reasoning about it.
I even started programming using pen and paper, before I even had a PC. I was eagerly saving money to buy one.
2️⃣ Defensive programming
Always validate inputs into your code. Handle them by having good defaults or throw an exception with a good description of the issue.
When a bug occurs, the exception is so descriptive that I don’t need to debug to fix the issue.
3️⃣ Testing
For things that are harder to deduce or are more complex, I create tests. I test what I think should happen and verify this.
Test all the possible scenarios that you can think of.
3️⃣ Logging
I log extensively. My assumption when doing logging, is that I am not allowed to have access to the server or the machine of the user.
I often log at places where a clear next step in my code happens. Usually, the place where you would place a breakpont for the debugger.
I log as much useful information as possible so, assuming that I am not allowed to start a debug session.
When a bug happens, the logs tell me a lot about the location of the issue and how to solve it.
Often the Logging section on my Azure bill is the biggest part of a solution.
And yes, sometimes I also use a debugger, when the above ways all failed to help me out, but it doesn’t happen often.
Are you addicted to your debugger?
