breakpoint
A marker set in a debugger that pauses program execution at a specific line or condition, allowing developers to inspect application state.
Full Definition
In the context of developer tools, a breakpoint is an instruction to a debugger (such as GDB, Chrome DevTools, or an IDE's built-in debugger) to suspend execution so that the developer can examine variables, the call stack, and memory. Breakpoints may be unconditional (always pause) or conditional (pause only when a specified expression is true). Editors working on debugging documentation should note that 'breakpoint' is one word; the two-word form 'break point' is incorrect in this context. 'Breakpoint' is also used in front-end/CSS contexts to mean a viewport width threshold — editors must distinguish these two meanings by context.
Usage
Usage note: One word, always. Disambiguate between debugger breakpoints and CSS/responsive-design breakpoints based on context.
In Context
- "Set a breakpoint on line 42 to inspect the value of the response object." — Debugging tutorial
- "Conditional breakpoints allow developers to pause execution only when a specific variable exceeds a threshold." — IDE user guide