Debugging: meaning, definitions and examples

Applicable when systematically inspecting code to find and resolve issues.

• During the coding session, Jane excelled at debugging her teammates' code

Broad term used for identifying and solving problems, especially in technical support and repair services.

• The customer service representative was skilled at troubleshooting common issues with the product

General term used in various contexts to denote fixing any kind of error, not limited to software.

• Error fixing in the manuscript took longer than expected due to multiple typos

Commonly used in software development when resolving specific bugs reported by users or testers.

• After the initial release, the developers focused on bug fixing to improve the user experience

Debugging is commonly used in software development to refer to the process of identifying and fixing bugs or errors in a program. It can be used in both professional and everyday settings when discussing programming tasks.

• The software engineers are busy debugging the new application before release.
• I spent the whole afternoon debugging my code to figure out why it wasn't running correctly.

Problem-solving is a broad term that can be used in almost any context where issues are being addressed and resolved. It can refer to a wide range of activities beyond technical issues, including personal or professional challenges.

• Effective problem-solving skills are essential in any workplace.
• We need to focus on problem-solving strategies to overcome these financial challenges.

Fault removal is usually used in the context of system engineering and reliability engineering. It's about detecting and correcting faults to increase the reliability and safety of systems, often in critical applications.

• The engineering team conducted thorough fault removal to prevent any potential system failures.
• Fault removal in the electrical grid system is crucial to ensure uninterrupted power supply.

Defect elimination is typically used in a more formal context, often within quality control or engineering processes. It involves identifying and removing defects to improve product quality and performance.

• The quality assurance team focuses on defect elimination to ensure that the product meets all safety standards.
• Our main goal in this project phase is defect elimination to enhance the user experience.

Used in general programming to describe the process of finding and fixing issues in code.

• I'm debugging my code to see why it's not working.
• Debugging can be time-consuming but it's essential for creating reliable software.

Used for identifying and solving problems not only in programming but also in other technical contexts. It implies a more thorough process of investigating the issue.

• I need to troubleshoot why the internet connection is slow.
• Troubleshooting revealed that the problem was a faulty cable.

Used in a broader sense to describe correcting mistakes, whether in code, documents, or other contexts.

• Please fix the errors in your report before submitting it.
• The technician was able to fix the errors in my laptop.

A more formal and specific way to describe addressing software bugs. It is less common in casual conversation.

• The development team worked overnight to rectify the bugs in the system.
• We need to rectify these bugs before the next software release.