One of the marvels from b0rk on Twitter is some 40 pages of debugging strategies: by now it should be a fully fledged zine
Posted by jpluimers on 2025/03/11
[Wayback/Archive] 🔎Julia Evans🔍 on Twitter: “so far we have about 40 pages of debugging strategies and trying to organize them is a struggle :) here’s a draft of the table of contents (though it’s SO FAR from being done, note the “unsorted pages” section haha)”:
Table of contents text (via Google Lens):
- introduction
- not every bug is a priority
- DETECTIVE MODE
- easy first steps..
- preserve the crime scene
- come up with one question
- get it under the microscope
- read the error message
- reread the error message
- get organized
- write down every hypothesis
- keep a log book
- explore your unknowns
- make a timeline
- use a debugger
- jump into a REPL
- use a new spy tool
- dig into confusing code
- read the library’s code
- look at github issues
- simplify
- write a tiny program
- comment out code
- tidy up your code
- get unstuck
- take a break
- investigate bugs together
- timebox your investigation
- don’t let your insecurities drive
- write a message asking for help
- improve your toolkit
- shorten your feedback loop
- add extra logging
- add pretty printing
- unsorted pages
- find a version that works
- verify things people tell you
- draw a diagram
- take a recording
- Â reflect
- explain the bug to someone.
- find the bug’s friends.
- add a comment..
Larger image:
A few drafts of pages (some not even in the table of contents):
- [Wayback/Archive] Julia Evans on Twitter: “debugging strategy: reread the error message”
For me, I usually try to document the error immediate after it takes place. This includes screenshots of the error messages including the error text (if needed through OCR: Google Lens is a great way to OCR an image)
- [Wayback/Archive] 🔎Julia Evans🔍 on Twitter: “debugging strategy: write a unit test”:
I like this strategy a lot as it is an approach that helps verify assumptions (you know: the mother of all mistakes).
--jeroen
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