In this course, we will be focusing on the powerful debugging tools provided by Visual Studio .NET. These tools can help developers to effectively troubleshoot, identify, and fix issues in their code.

Understanding Debugging

Debugging refers to the process of identifying and resolving errors (bugs) within a computer program. It's an essential aspect of software development that ensures the functionality and reliability of your code.

We'll start by understanding what debugging is, why it's crucial, and how the Visual Studio .NET environment facilitates this process. We'll explore the different types of errors you may encounter, such as syntax errors, runtime errors, and logical errors, and how the debugging tools can help address these issues.

Debugging with Logs

In this section, we'll delve into log debugging, a non-intrusive way to inspect your application's behaviour over time. We'll start by understanding what logging is and why it's crucial in software development. Then, we'll look into the concept of logging levels and how they can help in categorizing and filtering logs according to their importance.

Using Breakpoints

A crucial tool in debugging is the use of breakpoints. Breakpoints allow you to pause the execution of your code at specific points and inspect the current state of the program. We will look at how to set, disable, and remove breakpoints and how to control the program's flow using these breakpoints. You will also learn how to use conditional breakpoints and hit count breakpoints, which provide more control over when your program is paused.

Debugging Windows

Next, we'll explore the various debugging windows available in Visual Studio, such as the Watch window, Locals window, Call Stack, and Immediate window. These windows provide different views into the state of your application while debugging and can be invaluable in tracking down and understanding issues.

Debugging Tips and Tricks

Next, we will look at some tips and tricks that can make your debugging process more effective, such as using Tracepoints, understanding data visualizers, and using Edit and Continue to modify your code during a debugging session.

Exception Handling

Exceptions represent runtime errors that can be caught and handled in code. Visual Studio provides extensive support for handling exceptions during the debugging process. We'll learn about how to use try/catch blocks to handle exceptions, how to use the Exception Settings window, and how to understand and navigate exception call stacks.