Printing test lines on cardboard saved my Python loops

I kept getting confused tracking variables inside nested loops, so I started printing simple messages like 'step 2 done' on scrap cardboard next to my monitor. Writing those notes physically helped me map out the flow before typing a single line. Then I'd code the loop and cross off each printed step as it worked. After 3 tries on a file parser, it finally clicked and I stopped guessing where the bug was. Does anyone else sketch out loops on paper first or is that just me?

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cole99421d agoMost Upvoted

Started doing this exact thing with a whiteboard for my database queries, but then my cat kept erasing the steps with her tail. Got so annoyed I switched to sticky notes on the wall, and honestly the physical act of peeling each one off when it worked made the whole thing feel like a small win. Now I can't code a loop without having some paper trail nearby, even if it's just scribbled nonsense.