Author: Paul Lefebvre

Yuck! It happens to everyone, from beginners to experienced developers: sometimes you’ll get stuck. Perhaps the code you’re working on just won’t do what you want or maybe you’re having trouble understanding code plucked from the internet. Talk to the duck. The rubber duck, that is. The term “rubber ducking” or “rubber duck debugging” is a software development technique where you explain the problem you are having to a rubber duck (or appropriate substitute). Often the act of explaining the problem to someone else, even if that someone is not real, can help you figure it out. It might be like inspiration struck.