Debugging is a make-or-break aspect of software development. The best approach is to use other techniques described in this book to avoid defects in the first place. It's still worth your time to improve your debugging skills, however, because the difference between good and poor debugging performance is at least 10 to 1.
A systematic approach to finding and fixing errors is critical to success. Focus your debugging so that each test moves you a step forward. Use the Scientific Method of Debugging.
Understand the root problem before you fix the program. Random guesses about the sources of errors and random corrections will leave the program in worse condition than when you started.
Set your compiler warning to the pickiest level possible, and fix the errors it reports. It's hard to fix subtle errors if you ignore the obvious ones.
Debugging tools are powerful aids to software development. Find them and use them, and remember to use your brain at the same time.
