Code Assistance & Debugging

Whether you're a professional developer or someone who just wants to automate a spreadsheet, ChatGPT is an invaluable coding assistant. It can write, explain, debug, and improve code across dozens of programming languages.

What ChatGPT Can Do With Code

• Write new code from descriptions
• Explain existing code line by line
• Debug errors and suggest fixes
• Convert between languages (Python to JavaScript, etc.)
• Optimize code for performance or readability
• Write tests for your functions
• Document code with comments and docstrings

Writing Code From Descriptions

Basic Code Generation

Detailed Requirements

With Context About Your Codebase

Understanding Existing Code

Line-by-Line Explanation

Understanding the Big Picture

Explaining Specific Concepts

Debugging

Error Message Interpretation

Finding Logic Bugs

Debugging Strategies

Code Improvement

Refactoring

Performance Optimization

Adding Error Handling

Code Conversion

Language Translation

Framework Migration

For Non-Programmers

Spreadsheet Formulas

Simple Automation

No-Code Descriptions

Writing Tests

Best Practices

1. Specify Language and Version

"Write this in Python 3.9" vs "Write this in Python"
"Using ES6 JavaScript" vs "JavaScript"

2. Include Context

Mention your framework, library versions, and coding standards.

3. Share Error Messages Completely

Include the full error message and stack trace.

4. Explain What You Already Tried

ChatGPT can avoid suggesting things that didn't work.

5. Always Test the Code

ChatGPT-generated code can have bugs. Test thoroughly before using.

6. Understand Before Using

Don't paste code you don't understand. Ask for explanations.

Exercise: Get Code Help

Practice with a real coding challenge:

Key Takeaways

1. Be specific - Language, version, framework, requirements
2. Include context - Share relevant code and error messages
3. Ask for explanations - Understanding is more valuable than copy-pasting
4. Test thoroughly - ChatGPT code may have bugs
5. Learn along the way - Use code help as a learning opportunity
6. Works for non-coders too - Formulas, simple scripts, automation

ChatGPT is like having a patient coding mentor available 24/7. Whether you're debugging at midnight or learning a new language, it's there to help.