Setting breakpoints is a common debugging technique in programming, and Thonny, which is a popular Integrated Development Environment (IDE) for Python, indeed supports this feature. Here’s how breakpoints work in Thonny:
- Placing Breakpoints: You can place breakpoints in your Python code by clicking on the left margin of the code editor where line numbers are displayed. A red dot or some visual indicator will appear at the line where you set the breakpoint.
- Running the Program: Next, you run your Python program as you normally would within Thonny.
- Pause at Breakpoint: When the program execution reaches a line with a breakpoint, it will pause or stop there. This means the program’s execution is temporarily halted at that point.
- Inspecting Variables: While the program is paused, you can inspect the current values of variables, the state of the program, and the call stack. Thonny provides a “Variables” pane or similar feature that shows the values of variables in the current scope.
- Stepping Through Code: You can step through your code line by line using controls provided by Thonny, such as “Step Over,” “Step Into,” and “Step Out.” This allows you to understand the flow of your program and identify issues.
- Continuing Execution: Once you’ve analyzed the state of your program and variables, you can continue the execution of your code by clicking a “Continue” or “Run” button. The program will run until it reaches the next breakpoint or completes its execution.
Breakpoints are valuable for debugging because they help you isolate specific parts of your code where you suspect issues may be occurring. By inspecting variables and stepping through code, you can pinpoint the source of problems and fix them more efficiently.
Please note that the specific features and user interface for setting and managing breakpoints may vary between different IDEs, including different versions of Thonny. It’s a powerful tool to help you debug Python programs effectively and efficiently.
