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Discussion on: What's the best thing to do when you've run into a debugging dead end?

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Nested Software • Edited

I think this summarizes my usual process for debugging tricky problems:

  • When working through various scenarios, make sure to carefully document each step. Make sure to alter only one thing at a time and check all possible combinations of things that may be causing the problem.

  • Break the problem all the way down to its fundamentals - sometimes that may mean starting from scratch and adding code bit by bit until the problem manifests itself.

  • Take a break: It's amazing how new ideas can come along when you're taking a walk or are in the shower!

  • Research: Look for answers online

  • Ask for help: Ask someone who may be able to help, either online or in person

  • Workaround: Is there some way to solve the problem without attacking it directly? Maybe there is a way to solve a slightly different problem that will still produce the desired results, or at least get close enough to get past the current bottleneck.