Debugging tips and tricks

Keep in mind:

• Computer is logical and deterministic. If something is not working as expected, there is a reason for it.
• Being stuck is temporary.
• Know your limits and seek help from more knowledgeable people when needed.
• Fix things based on priority and some things are not worth fixing.

Debugging Steps

Step 1 - Get as much information as possible about the issue.

• Get a screen recording, screenshot, detailed reproduction steps, logs and error messages resulting the issue.

Step 2 - Isolate the Environment.

• Check if the issue can be reproduced on the staging server or dev team's device. If not then it is likely an environment specific issue.
• Check for differences in software versions, configurations, network settings etc between prod and staging.

Step 3 - Reproduce the Issue.

1. First step - Create a timeline using print statements or use a debugger if possible.
2. Still not able to reproduce?
   • Understand the scenario - some bugs occur only under specific conditions like high load, specific context or environment on customer devices.
   • Comb through stack traces and logs tofind line where error occurs. Recreate the lifecycle of the request leading to that line.
3. Still Stuck?
   • Get a break.
   • Ask someone
   • Rubber duck

Step 4 - Identify the Root Cause.

• Add logging, solve the problem and ship!

Good Luck with debugging!