Python debugging tips [closed]

Answer 1

print statements

• Some people recommend a debug_print function instead of print for easy disabling
• The pprint module is invaluable for complex structures

Answer 2

http://pypi.python.org/pypi/pudb, a full-screen, console-based Python debugger.

Its goal is to provide all the niceties of modern GUI-based debuggers in a more lightweight and keyboard-friendly package. PuDB allows you to debug code right where you write and test it – in a terminal. If you've worked with the excellent (but nowadays ancient) DOS-based Turbo Pascal or C tools, PuDB's UI might look familiar.

Nice for debugging standalone scripts, just run

python -m pudb.run my-script.py

Answer 3

When possible, I debug using M-x pdb in emacs for source level debugging.

Answer 4

PDB

You can use the pdb module, insert pdb.set_trace() anywhere and it will function as a breakpoint.

>>> import pdb
>>> a="a string"
>>> pdb.set_trace()
--Return--
> <stdin>(1)<module>()->None
(Pdb) p a
'a string'
(Pdb)

To continue execution use c (or cont or continue).

It is possible to execute arbitrary Python expressions using pdb. For example, if you find a mistake, you can correct the code, then type a type expression to have the same effect in the running code

ipdb is a version of pdb for IPython. It allows the use of pdb with all the IPython features including tab completion.

It is also possible to set pdb to automatically run on an uncaught exception.

Pydb was written to be an enhanced version of Pdb. Benefits?

Answer 5

In Vim, I have these three bindings:

map <F9> Oimport rpdb2; rpdb2.start_embedded_debugger("asdf") #BREAK<esc>
map <F8> Ofrom nose.tools import set_trace; set_trace() #BREAK<esc>
map <F7> Oimport traceback, sys; traceback.print_exception(*sys.exc_info()) #TRACEBACK<esc>

rpdb2 is a Remote Python Debugger, which can be used with WinPDB, a solid graphical debugger. Because I know you'll ask, it can do everything I expect a graphical debugger to do :)

I use pdb from nose.tools so that I can debug unit tests as well as normal code.

Finally, the F7 mapping will print a traceback (similar to the kind you get when an exception bubbles to the top of the stack). I've found it really useful more than a few times.

Answer 6

It is possible to print what Python lines are executed (thanks Geo!). This has any number of applications, for example, you could modify it to check when particular functions are called or add something like ## make it only track particular lines.

code.interact takes you into a interactive console

import code; code.interact(local=locals())

If you want to be able to easily access your console history look at: "Can I have a history mechanism like in the shell?" (will have to look down for it).

Auto-complete can be enabled for the interpreter.