27: How do you deal with crazy bugs?

Debugging is a crucial skill for developers. Maybe even THE skill.

Show Notes

Boy, oh boy; bugs can be frustrating. A tricky bug can often make feel like a bad programmer, but fear not. Bugs happen to everybody. They're an unavoidable part of the coding process, and dealing with them is an important skill. Many coders think debugging is the most versatile and important skill you can learn. How do our hosts deal with their bugs? Are there strategies that help? Are there techniques you can learn to make your life easier? Find out all this, and more, in this week's buggy instalment of A Question of Code.

Mentioned in this episode:

• CS50: Introduction to Computer Science
• Julia Evans debugging comic

What is A Question of Code?

A newbie coder and a seasoned veteran discuss the questions that always come up when someone begins learning to code.

Ed is looking at getting a career in programming and has been learning to code for just over a year. During this time he’s been building up a stack of questions that keep coming up from other newbie coders. Luckily, he’s got someone he can ask for help: Tom. Tom’s a seasoned coder, having worked in the industry for a few years now and has all the answers Ed needs, or does he?