# Using a breakpoint in App Lab **URL:** \ **Category:** Coding and Debugging Help\ **Created:** [February 16, 2020, 8:41pm UTC](https://forum.code.org/t/using-a-breakpoint-in-app-lab/32267 "2020-02-16T20:41:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jdonwells](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.code.org/jdonwells/32/7900_2.png) [@jdonwells](https://forum.code.org/u/jdonwells)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2020, 8:41pm UTC](https://forum.code.org/t/using-a-breakpoint-in-app-lab/32267/1 "2020-02-16T20:41:31Z")
Ignore what I wrote earlier and just read what Frank Lee says. ---
**Author:** ![frank\_w\_lee](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.code.org/frank_w_lee/32/4895_2.png) [@frank\_w\_lee](https://forum.code.org/u/frank_w_lee)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2020, 7:16pm UTC](https://forum.code.org/t/using-a-breakpoint-in-app-lab/32267/2 "2020-02-17T19:16:57Z")
Hi @jdonwells, Thanks for the workaround! I’ve never really used the debugging features of App Lab before. I’ve noticed in the past that when I click a specific line number, it turns purple (and now there’s a “pause” symbol - I’m pretty sure that’s new). Then when I run the program, the program pauses at that point. Is that similar to the functionality you’re looking for? Frank ---
**Author:** ![jdonwells](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.code.org/jdonwells/32/7900_2.png) [@jdonwells](https://forum.code.org/u/jdonwells)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2020, 8:27pm UTC](https://forum.code.org/t/using-a-breakpoint-in-app-lab/32267/3 "2020-02-17T20:27:39Z")
Wait…What?!! I had no idea that existed. NEVERMIND!!! ---
**Author:** ![jdonwells](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.code.org/jdonwells/32/7900_2.png) [@jdonwells](https://forum.code.org/u/jdonwells)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2020, 8:32pm UTC](https://forum.code.org/t/using-a-breakpoint-in-app-lab/32267/4 "2020-02-17T20:32:33Z")
Is there a debugger/IDE how to video that I have missed? Seems like one is a good idea. For example I see my kids moving blocks one at a time. You can click and hold on an area that is not a block and drag a selection area. Having done that you can move a whole section of blocks. Another thing is the REPL. It is a very powerful debugging technique that we should be teaching from day one. Not to mention setting a breakpoint which I just now learned about. Can we collaborate on a script then one of us or those [code.org](http://code.org) guys can make it? ---
**Author:** ![gjschmidt](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.code.org/gjschmidt/32/4922_2.png) [@gjschmidt](https://forum.code.org/u/gjschmidt)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2020, 12:23am UTC](https://forum.code.org/t/using-a-breakpoint-in-app-lab/32267/5 "2020-02-18T00:23:47Z")
Debugging using breakpoints is actually part of the curriculum. It is introduced in Unit 5 Lesson 11 Step 6. ---
**Author:** ![gjschmidt](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.code.org/gjschmidt/32/4922_2.png) [@gjschmidt](https://forum.code.org/u/gjschmidt)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2020, 6:54pm UTC](https://forum.code.org/t/using-a-breakpoint-in-app-lab/32267/6 "2020-02-18T18:54:33Z")
I should have also pointed out that down in the bottom right you will see: ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/codeorgforum/original/2X/8/89d14a3a2154643ec683081950fa25533b432883.png) If you add a variable name to the list, you can watch the value of that variable change as your program runs: ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/codeorgforum/original/2X/d/da4c7f3fbd02593b0546377217c692cb9029bae2.png) I’m not sure is this is explained in current curriculum but it’s definitely part of the new curriculum for next year. ---
**Author:** ![jdonwells](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.code.org/jdonwells/32/7900_2.png) [@jdonwells](https://forum.code.org/u/jdonwells)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2020, 4:40pm UTC](https://forum.code.org/t/using-a-breakpoint-in-app-lab/32267/7 "2020-02-19T16:40:25Z")
Excellent. I like the App Lab IDE. It has many modern features missing from Snap! and Scratch. I was somewhat distressed by the console.log debugging section when all this good stuff is available. I didn’t realize it was introduced later. Thank you.