BreakPointX: Interactive Code Debugger

A powerful visual debugging tool that helps developers understand code execution step by step.

Features • Demo • Installation • Usage • How It Works • Roadmap • Contributing • License

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Features

BreakPointX transforms the debugging experience by providing a rich, interactive visualization of code execution:

• Step-by-Step Execution: Navigate through code line by line with full control
• Real-Time Variable Tracking: Watch how variable values change during execution
• Call Stack Visualization: See function calls and execution context in real time
• Breakpoint Support: Set breakpoints with a simple click on line numbers
• Execution Flow Graph: Visual representation of code paths and function calls
• Performance Metrics: Track complexity, stack depth, and execution patterns
• Console Output Integration: See logs as they would appear during execution
• Customizable Execution Speed: Control the pace of code execution

Demo

Interactive debugging session showing variable state tracking and execution flow

Installation

1. Clone the repository

git clone https://github.com/yourusername/breakpointx.git
cd breakpointx

2. Install dependencies

npm install

3. Start the development server

npm start

This will start both the frontend React application and the backend Node.js server.

Usage

1. Enter your JavaScript code in the editor panel
2. Set breakpoints by clicking on the line numbers (optional)
3. Click Run to start the execution
4. Use the controls to:
   • Step: Move to the next execution step
   • Continue: Resume execution after a breakpoint
   • Reset: Start over from the beginning
5. Observe execution through:
   • The highlighted current line
   • Variable values in the state panel
   • Call stack visualization
   • Console output in real-time

How It Works

BreakPointX uses a multi-layered architecture to provide a comprehensive debugging experience:

Frontend (React + Tailwind CSS)

• Interactive code editor with syntax highlighting
• Real-time data visualization using Recharts and custom components
• Responsive UI that adapts to different screen sizes

Backend (Node.js + Express)

• Code parsing and instrumentation via Abstract Syntax Tree transformation
• Secure code execution in a sandboxed environment
• WebSocket communication for real-time updates

Execution Engine

1. Code is parsed into an Abstract Syntax Tree
2. Instrumentation points are added to track execution state
3. Modified code runs in a secure VM
4. Execution data is streamed to the frontend in real time

Technical Architecture

┌────────────────┐     ┌────────────────┐     ┌────────────────┐
│                │     │                │     │                │
│  Code Editor   │────▶│  Parser/AST    │────▶│   Execution    │
│                │     │                │     │   Environment  │
└────────────────┘     └────────────────┘     └────────────────┘
                                                      │
┌────────────────┐     ┌────────────────┐     ┌──────▼─────────┐
│                │     │                │     │                │
│  Visualization │◀────│  State Tracker │◀────│  Instrumented  │
│                │     │                │     │  Code Runner   │
└────────────────┘     └────────────────┘     └────────────────┘

Future Do-able Features

• Support for multiple programming languages (Python, Java, Ruby)
• Collaborative debugging sessions
• AI-powered error detection and suggestions
• Memory usage visualization
• Custom visualization plugins
• Code performance optimization suggestions
• Mobile-friendly interface
• Integration with popular code editors

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please feel free to submit a Pull Request.

1. Fork the project
2. Create your feature branch (git checkout -b feature/amazing-feature)
3. Commit your changes (git commit -m 'Add some amazing feature')
4. Push to the branch (git push origin feature/amazing-feature)
5. Open a Pull Request

License

Distributed under the MIT License. See LICENSE for more information.

Contact

Project Link: https://github.com/Manishym956/breakpointx

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Made with ❤️ by Manish Y M