How I Improved My Debugging Skills as a Junior Developer

Aman Narwariya — Fri, 20 Feb 2026 05:34:10 +0000

When I (@aman_narwariya_eb7206ce0d) started my journey as a junior developer after completing my MCA, I thought writing code was the most important skill.

I was wrong.

Very quickly, I realised something:

Writing code is easy. Debugging broken code is a real skill.

Here’s how I improved my debugging skills over time – and what actually helped me grow.

1. I Stopped Guessing and Started Reproducing the Bug

In the beginning, whenever I saw an error, I immediately started changing code randomly.

That made things worse.

Then I learned the first rule of debugging:

Always reproduce the issue consistently before fixing it.

Now I follow this process:

Understand the exact issue

Identify steps to reproduce

Check logs and error messages

Confirm the issue happens consistently

Once you can reproduce a bug, you’re halfway to solving it.

2. I Learned to Read Error Messages Properly

Earlier, I used to panic when I saw long error stacks.

Now I:

Read the error message carefully

Identify the file and line number

Trace the function call

Most bugs already tell you what’s wrong — you just need to read carefully.

3. I Used Console Logging Strategically

Instead of randomly adding logs everywhere, I learnt to log smartly.

For example:

I place logs:

Before a function runs

After receiving API responses

Before returning values

This helps me trace the exact flow of execution.

4. I Started Using Browser DevTools Effectively

For frontend debugging, browser tools became my best friend.

I use:

Network tab: to check API calls

Console → To test small snippets

Sources → To debug step by step

Application tab → To check local storage & tokens

Understanding DevTools drastically improved my debugging speed.

5. I Learned to Understand the Codebase Structure

As a junior developer, I struggled with large existing projects.

Then I started:

Mapping folder structure

Identifying entry points

Following the data flow from frontend to backend

Instead of fixing one file, I began understanding the system.

That changed everything.

6. I Used Breakpoints Instead of Guesswork

Using breakpoints helped me:

Pause execution

Inspect variable values

Step through code line by line

This reduced random fixes and improved accuracy.

7. I improved my Google & Stack Overflow skills.

Debugging is not about knowing everything.

It’s about knowing how to search effectively.

Instead of searching:

“Code not working.”

I search:

“TypeError: Cannot read property ‘map’ of undefined in React.”

Being specific saves time.

8. I Reviewed My Own Bugs

After fixing an issue, I started asking:

Why did this happen?

Could this have been avoided?

How can I prevent similar bugs?

This reflection helped me improve long-term.

The Mindset Shift That Helped Me Most

Earlier, I feared bugs.

Now I see bugs as:

Learning opportunities

Logic improvement exercises

Experience builders

Every solved bug increases confidence.

As a junior developer, improving my debugging skills gave me more confidence than learning new frameworks.

Because frameworks change.

But problem-solving and debugging stay forever.

If you're just starting out:

Don’t fear bugs.
Learn from them.
Master them.

That’s when real growth begins.

DEV Community: Aman Narwariya

How I Improved My Debugging Skills as a Junior Developer