👋 Greetings fellow programmer! Are you new to Java and struggling with debugging your code? Fear not! In this blog, we will explore some of the best debugging tools available for Java beginners. Not only will we cover their functionality, but I’ll also throw in some personal tips on how to use them effectively.

Using the Java Debugger 🐛

The Java Debugger, commonly known as jdb, is a command-line tool that enables you to identify and prevent errors in your code. It allows you to examine thread states, control program execution, and inspect the values of variables at runtime.

Some tips to help you effectively use jdb would be to understand how to set breakpoints, print variables and class instances, and step through code. To do that, use the ‘Stop’ button to pause program execution and then ‘Resume’ to continue running the program.

A screenshot of jdb in action

Eclipse Debugger 🔍

If you are using Eclipse as your IDE, then you have access to a powerful yet easy-to-use debugger. The Eclipse debugger allows you to debug code at any point in time, enabling you to evaluate variables, expressions, and more.

To use this debugger effectively, it’s important to learn how to set breakpoints, use the ‘Skip All Breakpoints’ option, evaluate expressions, and monitor variables values.

A screenshot of the Eclipse Debugger interface

IntelliJ IDEA Debugger 👀

IntelliJ IDEA Debugger is another widely used IDE debugger that offers a number of features to make Java debugging easier and more efficient. Some of its features include code hot-swapping, debugger multi-process support, and remote debugging.

To get the most out of IntelliJ IDEA Debugger, it’s essential to learn how to set breakpoints, condition breakpoints, use watches, and evaluate expressions.

A screenshot of IntelliJ IDEA Debugger in action

VisualVM 👩‍💻

VisualVM is a Java profiling tool that enables you to analyze your application’s performance by monitoring the JVM’s resources and giving you real-time feedback. It provides features like memory profiling, CPU monitoring, threads analysis, and application profiling.

To take full advantage of VisualVM, ensure that you have enough memory for your application, understand how to use CPU profiling, generate heap dumps, and monitor your threads.

A screenshot of VisualVM profiling application performance

Java Mission Control 💻

Java Mission Control is another profiler tool that comes with the Java Development Kit. It’s designed to help you optimize the behavior of your JVM by providing insight into how your application is performing. Some features include controlling garbage collection, thread analysis, and monitoring local and remote JVMs.

To use Java Mission Control effectively, learn how to use the flight recorder, control garbage collection, and monitor threads.

A screenshot of Java Mission Control profiler

Conclusion 🎉

Debugging errors is a fundamental part of software development, and Java offers numerous tools that can help you troubleshoot and fix your code. Remember to use the Java Debugger, Eclipse Debugger, IntelliJ IDEA Debugger, VisualVM, and Java Mission Control effectively to speed up the debugging process and for better application performance.

A cartoon of a programmer using the debugging tools mentioned above