11. Debugging and Error Handling

Whether you’ve just begun programming in a new language or have been using the language for years, you’re going to have errors. Learning how to find and fix errors is an important skill, and one with which you’ll no doubt get plenty of practice! Although experience is truly the best way to master debugging, there are tools and techniques that can expedite the learning process.

The first and last sections of the chapter discuss different Ruby libraries that help to root out bugs and other problems in your Ruby code as you write it. These are the kinds of issues that arise even when the script is being properly used. The specific topics range from basic debugging skills to unit testing and profiling. All of these approaches and add-ons help to find and squash bugs that inevitably crop up as you develop applications.