What is Debugging?

Introduction to Debugging

Debugging is the process of finding bugs i.e. error in software or application and fixings them. Any software program or product which is being developed undergoes through various steps – testing, troubleshooting, maintenance in a different environment. These software programs or product contains some error or bug. These bugs need to be removed from the software to developed bug-free software. Debugging is nothing but a process that many software testers used to find those bugs and fix them. Debugging refers to finding bugs, analyzing, and fixings them. This process takes place when the software fails due to some errors or software performs an unwanted thing. Debugging looks simple but it is a complex task as there is a need to fix all errors at every stage of debugging.

Why do we need Debugging?

Any software which is developed needs to be bug-free before releasing or going into the market. As there is much competition in the market, every organization wants to be at the top. It is possible if your software is bug-free and the customer is happy with your software. The customer becomes happy if he or she does not find any error while using the software. To make a customer happy, software needs to be bug-free and resolved by using the debugging process. This is the reason every organization must do the debugging process Before releasing them into the market.

Process of Debugging

Below is the list of stages involved in the process of debugging

1. Identify Error

Identifying errors at an early stage can save a lot of time. If we make a mistake in identifying an error, it leads to a lot of time wastage. Error or bugs occur at a customer site is hard to find. Identifying the right error is import to save time and avoid errors at the user site.

2. Identify the Error Location

After identifying an error, we need to identify the exact location in the code where an error occurs. Identifying an exact location that leads error can help to fix the problem faster.

3. Analyze Error

In this stage, you have to use an appropriate approach to analyze the error. This will help you to understand the problem. This stage is very critical as solving one error may lead to another error.

4. Prove the Analysis

Once the identified error has been analyzed, you have to focus on other errors of the software. This process involves test automation where you need to write the test cases through the test framework.

5. Cover Lateral Damage

In this stage, you have to do unit testing of all the code where you make the changes. If all test cases pass the test, then you can move to the next stage or else you have to resolve the test case that doesn’t pass the test.
Fix and validate: this is the final stage of the debugging process, where you need to fix all the bugs and test all test script.

Advantages of Debugging

Below is the list of debugging advantages

• Saves Time: Performing debugging at the initial stage saves the time of software developers as they can avoid the use of complex codes in software development. It not only saves the time of software developers but also saves their energy.
• Reports Errors: It gives error report immediately as soon as they occur. This allows the detection of error at an early stage and makes the software development process a stress free.
• Easy Interpretations: It provides easy interpretations by providing more information about data structures
  Release bug-free software: By finding errors in software, it allows developers to fix them before releasing them and provides bug-free software to the customers.

Various Debugging Tools

For identifying and fixings bugs various tools have been used, debugging tools is a software program that is being used to test and debug other software programs. There are many open-source debugging tools available in the market like DBX, GDB, etc.

Some of the debugging tools are listed below.
1. GDB (the GNU debugger)
2. LLDB
3. Radare2
4. Microsoft visual studio debugger
5. Valgrind
6. WinDBg
7. Firefox JavaScript debugger
8. Eclipse debugger
9. Arm DTT (Allinea DDT)
10. WDW (OpenWatcom debugger)

Debugging Strategies

Below are the different strategies are as follows:

1. Learning Strategy

Before finding a bug in the software or product it is very important to learn that software or product very carefully. Because without any knowledge you cannot find errors. If you know the system very well and you know how it works then only you can find bugs in that software.

2. Experience

Previous experience can help you to find similar types of bugs and also the solution for resolving bugs. It depends upon the individual expert’s experience that how could he/she finds the bus quickly.

3. Forward Analysis

forward analysis of programs involves tracking program forward using print statements or breakpoints at different points. It is more concerned with the location where the wrong outputs are obtained.

4. Backward Analysis

Backward analysis of the program involves the tracking program backward from the location where errors occur to identify the region of the faulty code.

Conclusion

In this article, we have seen what is Debugging, the process of Debugging along the needs and advantages of Debugging. Here we also discussed various debugging tools and strategies to perform Debugging. I hope you will find this article helpful.

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