How do you troubleshoot your mobile app?

1 Know your logs

Logs are records of events and data that occur during the execution of your app. They can help you track down the source and cause of problems, as well as provide useful information for debugging and testing. You can access your logs using various tools, depending on your platform and environment. For example, you can use Xcode for iOS apps, Android Studio for Android apps, or Firebase for cross-platform apps. You can also use third-party services like Crashlytics or Sentry to monitor and analyze your logs remotely.

2 Use breakpoints and debuggers

Breakpoints and debuggers are tools that allow you to pause the execution of your app at a specific point and inspect the state of your variables, expressions, and memory. They can help you find and fix logical errors, memory leaks, and unexpected behaviors in your code. You can set breakpoints and use debuggers in your IDE, such as Xcode or Android Studio, or in your browser, such as Chrome DevTools or Safari Web Inspector. You can also use console commands, such as print or log, to output values and messages to the console.

3 Test on different devices and emulators

Testing your app on different devices and emulators can help you identify and resolve compatibility issues, such as layout, performance, and functionality differences. You can use physical devices, such as iPhones or Android phones, or virtual devices, such as simulators or emulators, to test your app. You can also use cloud-based testing services, such as Firebase Test Lab or AWS Device Farm, to run your app on multiple devices and configurations remotely.

4 Reproduce and isolate the problem

Reproducing and isolating the problem is a key step in troubleshooting your mobile app. In order to find out the exact steps and conditions that trigger the problem, you need to eliminate any irrelevant factors that may interfere with your analysis. To do this, you can use a variety of methods and tools, such as user feedback from app reviews, ratings, surveys, or support tickets; crash reporting tools like Firebase Crashlytics or Sentry; testing tools like XCTest for iOS apps or Espresso for Android apps; and debugging tools such as LLDB for iOS apps or ADB for Android apps. These tools will help you collect and analyze crash data, simulate user scenarios, verify app functionality and performance, and examine and manipulate the state of your app and device during runtime.

5 Apply solutions and verify results

The final step in troubleshooting your mobile app is applying solutions and verifying results. You must implement and test changes that fix or improve the problem, then confirm that the problem is resolved without introducing new issues. Version control tools like Git or SVN can help you manage and track code changes, while code review tools like GitHub or Bitbucket can provide feedback and suggestions for improvement. Testing tools like XCTest or Espresso will help you make sure your app passes all test cases and meets expected outcomes. User feedback tools like TestFlight or Google Play Beta can distribute the app to a subset of users and collect their feedback on new features, fixes, or enhancements. Troubleshooting your mobile app is a difficult but rewarding process that can help you deliver a quality product to your users. With the right steps and tools, you can effectively and efficiently troubleshoot your mobile app.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?