8.3.1: Debugging Theorems

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Here are the Theorems of Debugging all in one place:

The First Theorem of Debugging: (Section 1.2)

Readable code is debuggable code.

The Second Theorem of Debugging: (Section 1.4)

The only thing worse than getting an error message is not getting an error message.

The Third Theorem of Debugging: (Section 2.5)

Be sure that the code you are running is the code you think you are running.

The Fourth Theorem of Debugging: (Section 2.6)

Error messages tell you where the problem was discovered, not where it was caused.

The Fifth Theorem of Debugging: (Section 3.1)

The best way to avoid a bug is to make it impossible.

The Sixth Theorem of Debugging: (Section 3.9)

The best kind of debugging is the kind you don’t have to do.

The Seventh Theorem of Debugging: (Section 10.2)

The worst bugs aren’t in your code; they’re in your head.

The Eighth Theorem of Debugging: (Section 8.3)

Finding a hard bug requires reading, running, ruminating, and sometimes retreating.

If you get stuck on one of these activities, try the others.