Effective Debugging Techniques in Elixir Using IEx

The article explores the debugging capabilities of IEx, the interactive Elixir shell, with a focus on using the IEx.pry/0 function to set breakpoints and inspect variable states. It includes practical examples, such as debugging a user points calculation and a more complex shopping cart system, demonstrating how to trace execution and analyze intermediate values. Advanced techniques like conditional debugging with environment variables and the use of IO.inspect for non-blocking inspection are also discussed. Best practices for debugging sessions are provided, emphasizing strategic breakpoint placement, code organization, and the importance of cleaning up debugging code before production deployment. Overall, the article emphasizes the power of IEx in enhancing the debugging experience in Elixir development.