Dear Sugar Labs Community,
Thank you for the opportunity to refine my Pippy Debugger proposal! Based
on feedback about enhancing the UX and expanding the debugging scope, I’ve
made some exciting updates. Here’s what’s changed:
1. Enhanced UX for the Debugger Panel
- Original: A basic side panel with LLM suggestions.
- Updated: The “Debug with Helper” button now opens a dynamic side panel
that:
- Highlights the error line (e.g., for i in range(3) missing a colon).
- Shows a chat-style LLM tip (e.g., “Oops! Your for needs a :—can you
spot it?”).
- Offers interactive buttons: “Hint,” “Example,” and “Tell Me More”
for deeper guidance.
- Updates as the user revises code, styled in Sugar’s bright,
kid-friendly aesthetic.
- Why: This makes debugging engaging and intuitive, letting kids
explore at their pace. I’ve attached a mockup (Pippy_Debugger_Mockup.png)
to visualize it!
2. Broader Debugging Scope: Flow and Logic
- Original: Focused mainly on syntax errors.
- Updated: Now handles program flow and logic too:
- Uses ast to spot flow issues (e.g., infinite loops: “This while never
stops—how can we end it?”).
- Probes logic errors (e.g., “You wanted 10, but it prints 5—check
range(5)!”).
- Combines code and output for context-aware tips.
- Why: Beginners struggle with more than syntax, so this ensures
well-rounded support.
3. Teaching Debugging Strategies
- Original: Gave hints but didn’t teach methods.
- Updated: The LLM now suggests techniques:
- “Try print(i) here to see what’s happening!”
- “Test just the loop—comment out the rest.”
- “What did you expect? Let’s check!”
- Progressive hints escalate from vague to specific.
- Why: This builds debugging skills, not just fixes, aligning with
Sugar’s educational goals.
These updates make the debugger a true learning companion. I’d still love
your thoughts on the panel’s usability, the flow/logic approach, and
strategy guidance. Updated draft is attached/linked:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1kDaOTUjNIghWLVJUuLWUtLNLC9XB3hWYoDoOO_kWGV4/edit?tab=t.0#heading=h.7ajmtdnyhjmz.
I’ll hop on #sugar IRC soon to chat more. Thanks again!
Best,
Anurag Mishra
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