7 VS Code Debugging Tips That Most Developers Skip

Most Developers Are Only Using 20% of the VS Code Debugger

The VS Code debugger has been the most underused tool in most developers' toolboxes since VS Code launched. Here are 7 features that will change how you debug.

1. Logpoints Instead of console.log

You don't need to add console.log statements, save, re-run, and then remove them. VS Code has logpoints — breakpoints that log a message without stopping execution.

Right-click the gutter → Add Logpoint → type your message with {variableName} for live values.

The log shows in the Debug Console. No code changes, no cleanup.

2. Conditional Breakpoints

Stop wasting time clicking "Continue" 400 times to hit the iteration where the bug happens.

Right-click a breakpoint → Edit Breakpoint → enter a condition like i === 47 or user.id === null.

The debugger only pauses when the condition is true.

3. The Watch Panel

Instead of hovering over variables one by one, pin expressions to the Watch panel (the eye icon in the Debug sidebar). They update live as you step through code.

You can even watch complex expressions: user.orders.filter(o => o.status === 'pending').length

4. launch.json Configurations

If you're pressing F5 and fighting with the wrong interpreter or environment, you haven't configured launch.json properly.

Create .vscode/launch.json with:

{
  "version": "0.2.0",
  "configurations": [
    {
      "name": "Python: FastAPI",
      "type": "python",
      "request": "launch",
      "module": "uvicorn",
      "args": ["main:app", "--reload"],
      "env": { "ENV": "development" }
    }
  ]
}

Now F5 always starts your app correctly with the right environment.

5. Debug Console Expressions

The Debug Console isn't just for output — you can run arbitrary expressions while paused at a breakpoint. Call functions, modify variables, test fixes before you write them.

Try it: pause at a breakpoint, click the Debug Console, type any expression. It evaluates in the current scope.

6. Multi-Target Debugging

If you're running a frontend and backend at the same time, you can attach the debugger to both simultaneously using a compound launch configuration:

{
  "compounds": [
    {
      "name": "Full Stack",
      "configurations": ["Python: API", "Chrome: Frontend"]
    }
  ]
}

Both debug sessions run in parallel, in the same VS Code window.

7. Exception Breakpoints

In the Debug sidebar, check Raised Exceptions under Breakpoints. The debugger will pause the moment any exception is thrown — before it propagates up the call stack — so you see the exact state at the point of failure, not after it unwinds.

This is the fastest way to find the real source of any exception.

The One Thing That Ties All of This Together

All of the above helps you find bugs faster manually. But there's still a ceiling: once you find the bug, you still need to know how to fix it in the context of your specific codebase.

That's where DebugAI comes in. It does the traversal — reading your call chain, checking your imports, understanding your architecture — and gives you the fix directly.

Ctrl+Shift+D. Under 10 seconds. No manual stepping required.

→ Install DebugAI free