How to Debug JS Errors Using ChatGPT(Beginner's Guide)

Everyone makes mistakes while coding. The good news is that AI tools like ChatGPT can help you understand and fix JavaScript errors faster.

In this blog, you'll learn how to use ChatGPT to debug common Javascript errors with real examples.

Reference Error

console.log(username);

Output:

ReferenceError: username is not defined

Prompt to ChatGPT:

Explain why I'm getting ReferenceError: username is not defined in Javascript and show me how to fix it.

Solution:

let username = "Janani";
console.log(username);

TypeError

const user = null;
console.log(user.name);

Output:

TypeError: Cannot _read_ properties of null (reading _'name'_)

Prompt to ChatGPT:

Explain this TypeError in simple words and provide the correct code.

Solution:

const user = null;
if(user) {
   console.log(user.name);
}

SyntaxError

if (true {
  console.log("Hello");
})

Output:

SyntaxError: Unexpected token '{'

Prompt to ChatGPT:

Find the syntax error in this code and explain it like I'm a beginner.

Solution:

if(true) {
  console.log("Hello");
}

Undefined

let age;
console.log(age);

Output:

undefined

Prompt to ChatGPT:

Why is this variable undefined? Explain with an example.

Solution:

let age = 25;
console.log(age);

NaN

let result = "Hello"*5;
console.log(result);

Output:

NaN

Prompt to ChatGPT:

Why am I getting NaN? How can I avoid it?

Solution:

let result = 10*5;
console.log(result);

Instead of asking:

My code is not working.

Ask:

I'm getting

TypeError: Cannot read properties of undefined. Here's my code. Explain the error in simple words and provide a corrected version.

The more context you give, the more accurate the AI's answer is likely to be.

AI doesn't just fix your code-it can help you understand why an error happened. Use it as a learning partner rather than simply copying the solution. Over time, you'll become much better at debugging on your own.

source & further reading

dev.to — original article How to Test Structured Outputs Across Multiple AI Models Death by Poisoning: Your Agent Read a Comment and Started Helping Your Competitor Schemity vs ChartDB: The Offline Desktop Alternative