The following is an example stack trace from a simple program that shows a common Ruby error: undefined method. The stack trace could be sent as a screenshot from a user, or could happen during your own testing.Ī stack trace is an output generated from an application when executed, showing the line of code that caused an issue and the execution path through the system that led to that point.

If you have an APM like Retrace configured, then all errors would be searchable along with the related stack trace. The best place to start your investigation is at the point the error was first discovered. The best place to start your investigation One such APM, Retrace, reports all errors as they occur, along with a stack trace and any related logging. It often causes a different issue or accelerated software rot.Ī good way to find errors fast is to use an application performance management tool (APM). I’ve made this mistake many times, so I can tell you from experience not to do this. Under pressure, you may be tempted to provide a quick fix for the effect rather than the cause, without understanding the purpose of the code. When you find errors early, your users may not notice that the error occurred, which gives you more time to determine the root cause and fix the issue. Finding errors before your users doįinding production errors before your users report them gives you some time to think calmly about the solution. Gene Kranz at his console on May 30, 1965, in the Mission Operations Control Room, Mission Control Center, Houston. We can use Kranz’s simple, yet important, strategy when we approach debugging a Ruby application. Let’s not make things worse by guessing.”

Gene Kranz, director of the mission control team that saved Apollo 13, sums up their approach to problem-solving when he said, “Let’s work the problem, people. An example of a high-performance team that often needs to find the root cause of a serious issue under pressure is the mission control team at NASA.

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