# Rails debug **URL:** \ **Category:** Rails\ **Created:** [May 30, 2008, 10:06am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/rails-debug/139037 "2008-05-30T10:06:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![casper\_the\_ghost](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/58956e/32.png) [@casper\_the\_ghost](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/casper_the_ghost)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2008, 10:06am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/rails-debug/139037/1 "2008-05-30T10:06:15Z")
Hi guys, Now I own rails application for my website. But when some changes happens, the debug way will be bramble. Is there any IDE or method release it? I mean if you would like to debug the java program, you can set the breakpoint in the Eclipse or NetBeans. But in Aptana, I feel it is difficult to debug my application. Is there any suggestion or advice? ---
**Author:** ![casper\_the\_ghost](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/58956e/32.png) [@casper\_the\_ghost](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/casper_the_ghost)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2008, 3:55pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/rails-debug/139037/2 "2008-05-30T15:55:46Z")
I’ld strongly recommend the console debug tools using the debugger() method. It is extremely effective and easy to use once you get the hang of it. On May 30, 2:48 am, “removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid” [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) ---
**Author:** ![casper\_the\_ghost](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/58956e/32.png) [@casper\_the\_ghost](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/casper_the_ghost)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2008, 4:20pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/rails-debug/139037/3 "2008-05-30T16:20:28Z")
> Well tools for rails or ruby aren’t as mature as java. But at a basic > level if you start your server with --debugger and then call > debugger() anywhere in your app then you application will stop when it > hits that. It’s a command line interfact but you can do the usual > stuff (inspect state, step through code etc…). 3rd rail claims to > have a whizzy graphical thing ([http://www.codegear.com/article/](http://www.codegear.com/article/) > 37968#2FastDebugging) but i’ve never used 3rd rail so I couldn’t say > what it’s like. I have been using Rails for nearly two years - about 6 apps - and I have never once invoked the debugger. Neither has my current team, who has been Railing for almost 3 years. ---
**Author:** ![casper\_the\_ghost](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/58956e/32.png) [@casper\_the\_ghost](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/casper_the_ghost)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2008, 4:23pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/rails-debug/139037/4 "2008-05-30T16:23:57Z")
If you are using Windows you may want to try Ruby In Steel. we have the fastest debugger for standard Ruby with all kinds of visual debugging including: - breakpoints - conditional breakpoints - trace points - run macro on break - drill-down watch variables - hover+drilldown inspection - dynamic debugging (change values while debugging) - call stack navigation - set breakpoints and debug into ERb/Rhtml - JRuby debugging - step into/out/over - and lots, lots more… More info here: [http://www.sapphiresteel.com/Debugging-Ruby-with-the-Cylon](http://www.sapphiresteel.com/Debugging-Ruby-with-the-Cylon) [http://www.sapphiresteel.com/Dynamic-Debugging-In-Ruby](http://www.sapphiresteel.com/Dynamic-Debugging-In-Ruby) [http://www.sapphiresteel.com/Ruby-Debugger-Enhancements](http://www.sapphiresteel.com/Ruby-Debugger-Enhancements) [http://www.sapphiresteel.com/How-To-Debug-Ruby-Inside-RHTML](http://www.sapphiresteel.com/How-To-Debug-Ruby-Inside-RHTML) best wishes Huw C. SapphireSteel Software Ruby and Rails In Visual Studio [http://www.sapphiresteel.com](http://www.sapphiresteel.com) ---
**Author:** ![casper\_the\_ghost](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/58956e/32.png) [@casper\_the\_ghost](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/casper_the_ghost)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2008, 1:02pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/rails-debug/139037/5 "2008-05-30T13:02:56Z")
On May 30, 8:48 am, “removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid” [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > Hi guys, > Now I own rails application for my website. But when some changes > happens, the debug way will > be bramble. Is there any IDE or method release it? I mean if you would > like to debug the java program, you can set the breakpoint in the > Eclipse or NetBeans. But in Aptana, I feel it is difficult to debug my > application. Is there any suggestion or advice? Well tools for rails or ruby aren’t as mature as java. But at a basic level if you start your server with --debugger and then call debugger() anywhere in your app then you application will stop when it hits that. It’s a command line interfact but you can do the usual stuff (inspect state, step through code etc…). 3rd rail claims to have a whizzy graphical thing ([http://www.codegear.com/article/](http://www.codegear.com/article/) 37968#2FastDebugging) but i’ve never used 3rd rail so I couldn’t say what it’s like. Fred ---
**Author:** ![casper\_the\_ghost](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/58956e/32.png) [@casper\_the\_ghost](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/casper_the_ghost)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2008, 4:24pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/rails-debug/139037/6 "2008-05-30T16:24:42Z")
> ``` > Now I own rails application for my website. But when some changes > > ``` > > happens, the debug way will > be bramble. Is there any IDE or method release it? I mean if you would > like to debug the java program, you can set the breakpoint in the > Eclipse or NetBeans. But in Aptana, I feel it is difficult to debug my > application. Is there any suggestion or advice? Write unit tests for every feature. A test that calls a method is like a breakpoint on that method, and an assertion that compares its return value to a reference is like watching a variable. Better, you don’t need to debug over and over and over again when you change anything. You just run all the tests.