debugger : Java Glossary

A program used to help debug Java code. It lets you trace execution flow, set breakpoints to stop execution when a particular spot or condition is reached, examine variables and change variables. Unlike Smalltalk or Forth, you still must recompile and restart if you change any code. Most IDEs (Integrated Development Environments) include an integrated debugger, e.g. VAJ (Visual Age for Java), Visual Café, Forté and JBuilder.

Starting with Java 1.2, debuggers were a lot easier to write since there is now JPDA (Java Platform Debugger Architecture), a platform-independent debugging interface that lets you write debuggers in pure Java.

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