Debugging is an essential skill for software engineers. It allows you to systematically find and fix issues in your code. In IntelliJ IDEA, debugging is made efficient with features like breakpoints, variable inspection, and stepping through code. Let’s explore the main debugging techniques you need to know.
Breakpoints are markers you set in your code to pause execution at a specific line. This allows you to examine the program’s state at that point. To set a breakpoint, simply click in the left gutter next to the line number. Once a breakpoint is set, running the program in Debug mode will pause at that line. This is useful to inspect variables and understand how your code reaches a certain point.
Why use breakpoints?
When your program pauses at a breakpoint, you can inspect variables and their values. IntelliJ IDEA shows variables in the Variables pane. You can expand complex objects to see their attributes.
Why inspect variables?
Once the program pauses at a breakpoint, you can move through your code step by step:
These options allow you to control the flow of debugging, diving deeper when necessary or skipping irrelevant details.
After inspecting variables or stepping through some lines, you may want to continue running your program. The Continue option resumes execution until the next breakpoint or the end of the program.
Why use continue?
Debugging in IntelliJ IDEA becomes manageable when you know how to use breakpoints, variable inspection, and stepping efficiently. Practice these techniques to understand your code better and quickly locate problems.