Debugging: What is step over?

In a nutshell

Step over instructs the debugger to proceed to the next line in your current scope without descending into any method calls on the current line.

When to step over?

When you want to follow the execution path through the current method without worrying about intermediary method invocations.

Example use

Given the following code:

function main() {
   var s = foo();
   bar(s);
}

function foo() {
   return "hi";
}

function bar(s) {
   var t = s + foo(); // Debugger is currently here
   return t;
}

If your debugger enters through main() and is now on the first line of bar, then telling the debugger to “step over” will proceed it to the return t; without descending into the foo() method on the current line. You’ll typically do this when you’re not interested in what the method on the current line (e.g., foo()) does.

Sources

• StackOverflow answer
• Debugging: What is step into?
• Debugging: What is step out?