ruby rails binding.pry how to step

ruby-on-rails ruby pry
Billy picture Billy · Feb 23, 2016 · Viewed 7.3k times · Source

What are the terminal commands to step over a line of code while using ruby rails 'binding.pry'? In addition do you know the command to step into, step out of, and continue?

Here is an example: 

def add_nums
    x = 5 + 5
    binding.pry
    x += 5
    x += 7
    return x
end

I'd like to know how to step through this method and in my terminal to see what the value of 'x' is until it is returned. Thanks

Answer

David Stump picture David Stump · Feb 23, 2016

Inelegant Solution

Since you have access to the scope of x, manually enter each line (or anything you want) and see how it impacts your variable.

More Elegant Solution

Check out either PryDebugger (MRI 1.9.2+) or Pry ByeBug (MRI 2+) which give you controls to manually step through code. If you choose ByeBug the brief syntax example is:

def some_method
  puts 'Hello World' # Run 'step' in the console to move here
end

binding.pry
some_method          # Execution will stop here.
puts 'Goodbye World' # Run 'next' in the console to move here.

Hope this helps.

Related questions

How do I step out of a loop with Ruby Pry?

I'm using Pry with my Rails application. I set binding.pry inside a loop in my model to try and debug a problem. For example: (1..100).each do |i| binding.pry puts i end When I type quit, it goes to …

Read More
How to move to the next line in binding.pry ?

In byebug we can move to next line by typing 'n', similarly is there anyway to move to the next line in 'pry' ? I have gone through there documentation but nothing's works out.

Read More
Make Byebug finish executing without exiting Pry

When I set a breakpoint with Byebug in Rails, I sometimes want it to finish executing, but the guide on github says to use exit which also exits Pry. Typing continue repeatedly can be annoying if the breakpoint is in …

Read More