Debugging With AI Help

When you hit an error you don't understand, AI becomes an invaluable debugging partner. It can explain cryptic error messages, identify the root cause, and suggest fixes. The key is providing good context.

What to Include in Your Prompt

For effective debugging help, give the AI:

1. The complete error message — Copy the entire traceback, not just the last line
2. The relevant code — Include the function or section where the error occurs
3. What you expected — Describe what should have happened
4. What actually happened — Describe the actual behavior

Example Debugging Prompt

Here's a well-structured debugging request:

I'm getting this error:

TypeError: can't multiply sequence by non-int of type 'str'

Here's my code:

price = input("Enter price: ")
total = price * 1.08

I expected it to calculate price plus 8% tax.
What's wrong?

The AI will explain that input() returns a string, not a number, and you need to convert it with float(price) before doing math.

Asking the Right Questions

Different questions get different insights:

• "Why is this happening?" — Gets an explanation of the root cause
• "How do I fix this?" — Gets a solution
• "What does this error mean?" — Gets a general explanation of the error type
• "Are there other issues in this code?" — Gets a broader review

Learning From AI Explanations

Don't just copy the fix — understand it. Ask follow-up questions:

• "Why does Python do it this way?"
• "How can I prevent this error in the future?"
• "What other similar errors should I watch for?"

Each debugging session is a learning opportunity. The error you understand today won't confuse you tomorrow.

When AI Debugging Struggles

AI works best with clear error messages and isolated code snippets. It struggles when:

• The bug is in logic rather than syntax (no error message)
• The problem involves multiple files or complex state
• The issue relates to your specific environment or configuration

For these cases, combine AI help with traditional debugging techniques like print statements and step-by-step execution.

See More

• Reading Error Messages
• AI for Hypothesis Testing
• Types of Errors

Further Reading

• Python Errors and Exceptions