Debugging Tools

Debugging is the art of finding and fixing errors in your code. While `console.log()` can be useful for simple checks, relying on it for complex issues is inefficient. Professional developers use dedicated debugging tools to gain deeper insight into their code's execution. Modern browsers like Chrome, Firefox, and Edge come with a powerful suite of built-in developer tools. The 'Sources' panel (in Chrome) is a full-featured debugger. It allows you to set 'breakpoints' in your JavaScript code. A breakpoint is a line where the browser will pause the execution of your script. When paused, you can inspect the 'call stack' to see the sequence of functions that led to that point. You can also examine the current value of every variable in scope, which is incredibly useful for understanding why your code is behaving unexpectedly. From a breakpoint, you can 'step over' to the next line, 'step into' a function call to see what happens inside it, or 'step out' of the current function. Code editors like VS Code also have integrated debuggers, which are particularly powerful for debugging Node.js backend code. You can set breakpoints directly in your editor, run your server in debug mode, and inspect variables and the call stack without ever leaving your editor. Mastering these debugging tools will save you countless hours and make you a much more effective developer.