Answer to Question #295904 in Python for Mary

Question

Evaluate how the debugging process can be used to help develop more secure, robust applications.

Answer 1

It can’t.

Debugging is a process of reproducing, isolating, and characterizing “bugs” (defects) in a system. It’s a mitigation after those defects have already been introduced!

At best we can use analysis of past debugging cycles to inform better engineering practices and perhaps as research towards developing better tooling to be used in the process of software design and engineering. But security and resilience are features which need to be part of the design, as well as implementation of software.

Developing higher quality software entails using better quality assurance practices and enabling your QA to inform your engineering and management decisions and practices. Adopting test driving or behavior driving methodology, and tools which facilitate them can be part of that approach. Use of agile or extreme processes can be another.

None of these has anything to do with “debugging.” These are practices which prevent the introductions of bugs. They are proactive rather than reactive.

After debugging the best you can do a add regression tests to prevent that big from being re-introduced and analyze is cause to device more general test cases which might detect similar defects between introduction and any release process. (Automated regression testing can save QA time and resources be preventing defective builds from internal release to QA).