Node Debugging

Debugging is an essential part of software development that helps developers identify and fix errors. This ensures that the application runs smoothly without causing errors. NodeJS is the JavaScript runtime environment that provides various debugging tools for troubleshooting the application.

What is Node Debugging?

Debugging is the process of finding and fixing errors (bugs) in your code. It's an important part of software development, as almost all code has some bugs at some point.

• They help in identifying runtime errors.
• Improves code efficiency by detecting memory leaks.
• Enables developers to monitor application execution flow.
• Ensures error-free and reliable applications.

How You Usually Debug NodeJS Applications

Generally, beginners use console.log() for debugging, which can become messy and inefficient. While it's a quick way to check values, it's not ideal for complex debugging scenarios.

• console.log() can clutter your code and slow down development as you add and remove log statements. It's also hard to track the flow of execution with just logs.
• Proper debugging tools offer features like breakpoints, stepping through code, and inspecting variables. These make finding and fixing bugs much easier.

How to Add a Debugger to Debug Your Code

While console.log() is commonly used, it's not the most efficient for complex debugging tasks. Instead, you can use the V8 Inspector in NodeJS.

Steps for debugging in Node

Step 1: Write the following code in the terminal window as shown below:

node --inspect-brk filename.js

Step 2: Open your Chrome browser and write inspect as shown below

Step 3: Now click on Open Dedicated DevTools for Node.

Step 4: Now, click on the NodeJS icon. The terminal will show the following message:

Step 5: Other tools to help launch a DevTools window:

june07.com/nim
github.com/jaridmargolin/inspect-process
github.com/darcyclarke/rawkit

Best Practices for Debugging

• Use meaningful error messages and logging levels.
• Use try-catch blocks for error handling.
• Optimize debugging workflow with automated tools.
• Monitor memory usage to prevent leaks.
• Debug in a structured environment, such as VS Code or Chrome DevTools.