Designing algorithms and writing code is difficult and error-prone. For historical reasons, programming errors are called bugs, and the process of tracking them down and correcting them is called debugging. As you learn to debug your programs, you will develop new problem-solving skills. You will need to think creatively when unexpected errors happen.
Although it can be frustrating, debugging is an intellectually rich, challenging, and interesting part of computer science. In some ways, debugging is like detective work. You are confronted with clues, and you have to infer the processes and events that led to the results you see. Thinking about how to correct programs and improve their performance sometimes even leads to the discovery of new algorithms.
Debugging is like an experimental science: once you have an idea about what is going wrong, you modify your program and try again. If your hypothesis was correct, then you can predict the result of the modification, and you take a step closer to a working program. If your hypothesis was wrong, you have to come up with a new one.
Programming and debugging should go hand in hand. Don’t just write a bunch of code and then perform trial-and-error debugging until it all works. Instead, start with a program that does something and make small modifications, debugging them as you go, until the program does what you want. That way, you will always have a working program, and isolating errors will be easier.
Programming sometimes brings out strong emotions. If you are struggling with a difficult bug, you might feel angry, despondent, or embarrassed. Remember that you are not alone, and virtually every programmer has had similar experiences. Don’t hesitate to reach out to a classmate, tutor, or instructor and ask questions!
