How to Proactively Identify Bugs In Your Code

Unfortunately, sometimes it does not matter how hard you try; a bug will appear in your code. This is part of software development and just something you have to deal with. But, the key to success and being efficient with time is to proactively identify these bugs or defects in your code while in production. This can make things a lot easier later on. So, here are some tips on how you can do this to solve your problems.

Log Analysis

First, let’s talk about log analysis. This is definitely something that is going to help you when it comes to identifying and solving bugs in your code. Essentially, this is when you review event logs that are generated by the computer. When you review them on a regular basis, you are going to come across defects quickly. You can pinpoint where the problem could be before they come to fruition. So, this is going to save you a lot of time later on, as well as make things easier to deal with.

Another reason why you want to take log analysis seriously is that you can learn from the experience for the future. You can take a look at what happened and what led to the error, which can be useful information in the future. Perhaps there are things you could have done differently. So, you can learn from the situation and make sure you do not repeat it in the future.

Create a Process

When you are creating code, you have to be prepared for the inevitable. It is very likely that a bug is going to pop up sooner rather than later. This is not something to fear. Instead, you just have to be prepared. When you have a process to follow, this is going to mean that you are able to identify the bug and solve the issue efficiently.

For example, there are a lot of people that dedicate part of every day to fixing bugs. This way, it just becomes part of your routine and something that is not out of the ordinary. You can address them as they occur rather than getting further down the line and realizing things have become more complicated.

Use a Log Management System

So, we have mentioned that you want to focus on log analysis and create a process so that this is something you are used to doing. Again, you have to accept that bugs happen. It is the way that you deal with them that matters. Next, you need to use a log management system. This is going to allow you to do log analysis efficiently. Essentially, this is a piece of software that is going to make things a lot easier for you. Namely, it will gather and store log events and data from a number of different sources.

This is going to make the process a lot easier. You will have all of the information you need in one place for when you need it. What’s more, having this system means that you can get alerts when there is something that needs your attention. Plus, there are going to be reports available for you to see and analyze.

Get Help from the Internet

Imagine that you have come across a bug or something that looks like it could become a problem. But you are not sure how you are going to solve this issue. What can you do to make sure the issue does not become a bigger concern? Well, you are not always going to know the answer on your own. These things can be complicated and it is a learning process. What you can do is use the internet when you have a problem.

Know that Google can be your friend and there are a number of websites that can assist you. You can ask other coders and those that have some experience. Plus, there might be guides on the internet that help too. In order to get help, you will want to provide some basic information. This can include what you are working on, you can include snippets of the issue and even what steps you have considered already. This is going to give everyone an idea of what is going on and they can hopefully help with your issue.

Make a Note

Remember that you are proactively identifying bugs in your code for a reason. The reason is to make your life a lot easier and the finished product better. Indeed, you want to remember these moments as this means that you can avoid repeating them in the future. So, do not rely on your mind to remember everything that has happened. Instead, take note.

Create your own digital notebook where you write down all of the bugs that you have proactively encountered. You should detail what happened and what you did to solve the problem. This way, if you run into a similar problem in the future, you are going to know what to do. It is easy to forget, but you have a note to look back on.