Definition
Plain language
Python's built-in step-by-step debugger, designed for humans to walk through code line by line.
As stated in the literature
The Python Debugger, a standard interactive command-line debugger for stepping through Python execution.
Why it matters: Step-through debugging remains one of the fastest ways to understand surprising program behavior in real code.
For example, a developer types 'pdb.set_trace()' to pause execution and step through the next few lines variable by variable.
Heard on the show
“It opens up Python's debugger — PDB — sets a breakpoint, and starts stepping through the code line by line.”Episode 005 — Why a Debugger Designed for Humans Is the Wrong Tool for an AI Agent