The Run and Debug view
Open it with CmdShiftD. It shows your launch configurations, and while a program runs, its call stack, the variables in each frame, and your breakpoints.
Start debugging a file
The quickest way: open the file and run Debug (language) File from the command palette, for example Debug Python File or Debug Go File. There's also Run (language) File to run it without the debugger. These exist for Python, Go, Rust, C and C++, Java, Kotlin, C#, Swift and Dart; PHP can run and test but has no debugger yet.
Launch configurations
For anything more (arguments, environment, a program to attach to), use a launch configuration:
- Create a launch.json file in the Run and Debug view, or Create launch config from the command palette for the current file.
- Add / edit launch configuration opens it.
Configurations live in .piye/launch.json in the project, so you can commit them for the team.
Breakpoints and stepping
- Set a breakpoint by clicking in the editor's gutter, beside the line number.
- When the program stops, the view shows the call stack (click a frame to see where it is, double-click to open the file) and the scopes with their variables.
- Step over, into and out, continue, pause and stop from the debug controls.
- The Debug Console in the bottom panel shows the program's output and lets you evaluate expressions while it's paused.
Breakpoints are kept between sessions.
Debuggers by language
| Language | Debugger |
|---|---|
| JavaScript, TypeScript (Node) | JavaScript debugger |
| Python | debugpy |
| Go | Delve |
| Rust, Swift, C, C++ | lldb-dap |
| Java | java-debug |
| Kotlin | The Kotlin server's own debugger |
| C# | netcoredbg |
| Dart | Dart's debugger |
Piye downloads each debugger the first time it's needed. For C and C++, debugging works for one file and for Makefile projects.
Ask the agent
The Code agent's Debug mode reproduces a bug, finds the cause, fixes it and shows it gone. See Ask, Build, Architect, Debug.