How can PHP developers effectively debug and troubleshoot issues in their code, particularly when encountering unexpected behavior like missing additions in database updates?

To effectively debug and troubleshoot issues like missing additions in database updates, PHP developers can start by checking the database connection and query syntax for errors. They can also use tools like var_dump() or print_r() to inspect variables and data at different stages of the code execution. Additionally, logging errors and exceptions can provide valuable information for identifying the root cause of the issue. 

// Example code snippet for debugging database update issues

// Check database connection
if (!$conn) {
    die("Connection failed: " . mysqli_connect_error());
}

// Check query syntax
$sql = "UPDATE table_name SET column_name = 'new_value' WHERE condition";
if (mysqli_query($conn, $sql)) {
    echo "Record updated successfully";
} else {
    echo "Error updating record: " . mysqli_error($conn);
}

// Use var_dump() or print_r() to inspect variables and data
var_dump($variable_name);

// Log errors and exceptions
try {
    // Code that may throw an exception
} catch (Exception $e) {
    error_log('Caught exception: ' . $e->getMessage());
}

Keywords

Xdebug error logs var_dump break points SQL injection

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