Software Quality Assurance Practice Exam

What type of debugging may risk masking real errors due to excessive changes?

1. Functional debugging

2. Product debugging

3. Scatter print debugging

4. Automated debugging

The correct answer is: Scatter print debugging

Scatter print debugging is a method that involves placing numerous print statements throughout the code to track its execution and check the values of variables at various points. While this approach can be useful for identifying specific issues within the code, it carries the risk of masking real errors. This happens because when multiple print statements are added excessively, they can clutter the output and make it challenging to discern which outputs are relevant to the issues being investigated. Consequently, developers may overlook the actual errors that need to be addressed amidst a sea of debug information. In contrast, functional debugging focuses on ensuring that the software functions as intended and typically does not introduce excessive code changes. Product debugging usually pertains to issues that arise in the final product and focuses on validation against specifications. Automated debugging leverages tools to detect and correct errors without the heavy manual intervention associated with scatter print approaches. These methods tend to be more structured and less prone to the issue of masking real errors through overly extensive modifications.