What does a 'debugger' do in software development?

A debugger is a crucial tool in the software development process that is specifically designed to identify and fix errors in code, also known as debugging. When developers write programs, they often encounter bugs—logical errors, syntax errors, or runtime errors—that can cause the software to behave unexpectedly or to fail entirely. The debugger helps developers systematically examine the code, set breakpoints, and step through the program line by line to observe its execution.

With this functionality, developers can inspect variables, evaluate expressions, and understand the flow of the program. Once a bug is found, the developer can modify the code to fix the issue and then re-test the application to ensure that the issue is resolved. This process effectively improves the quality and reliability of the software being developed.

In contrast, compiling code into machine language and translating high-level code into assembly code are essential parts of turning source code into executable programs, but they do not focus on finding or fixing errors. Likewise, executing the program simply allows it to run, without providing the error-detection capabilities that debugging tools offer.