confessional debugging

The debugging technique wherein a programmer explains a problem to someone else, and in the process realizes the source of it.

Noun

  1. The debugging technique wherein a programmer explains a problem to someone else, and in the process realizes the source of it.
    • Talk to someone else about the problem. Some people call this “confessional debugging.” You often discover your own error in the act of explaining it to another person. - 1993, Steve McConnell, Code Complete: A...
    • There are two more bits of strategy you might want to consider. Many programmers find “confessional debugging” to be one of the most useful techniques around. Confessional debugging works something like this: you grab...
    • If you have worked at a help desk, you have probably experienced the phenomena^([sic]) known as “confessional debugging.” A person is explaining the problem and as they do so, it suddenly dawns on them what the problem...

    Hyponyms: rubber duck debugging