Goodbye Print, Hello Debugger!

If you’re still debugging Python code with print() statements, you’re working too hard. A proper debugger lets you pause execution, inspect any variable, step through code line by line, and even modify values at runtime — all without changing your source code.

This talk walks through the full spectrum of Python debugger tooling, from pdb (the standard library’s built-in command-line debugger) to the rich graphical debuggers available in modern Python IDEs. We’ll work through hands-on walkthroughs using real buggy code, diagnosing problems the way experienced developers actually do.

You’ll leave knowing how to:

• Set breakpoints and step through code with pdb
• Use ipdb for an improved interactive experience
• Navigate the call stack and inspect frames
• Watch variables and set conditional breakpoints
• Use the debugger built into VS Code and other IDEs

Additional resources: Python Debugging Cheat Sheet

Also Presented At

• DjangoCon US 2019 — Watch on YouTube
• PyCon Australia 2019 — Watch on YouTube