Debugging Lambda Expression in Visual Studio 2015 – Watch Windows, Immediate Windows and also in DataTips

Debugging Lambda expression is one of the coolest feature of Visual Studio 2015 and that’s bring lot of productivity among developers during debugging and release lot of pain. Using lambda expression is pretty often in code, mostly when we writes lots of LINQ statements. Priory to Visual Studio 2015, there was no direct and easy way, where we can debug, or inspect any lambda expression.

Now, Visual Studio 2015, support debug and run lambda express in Watch Windows, Immediate Window and in DataTips as well .

Let’s take a look at the following class Student

Following code block use the Student Class, and display a list of Students having marks greater than 40.

Now, consider you want to debug, manipulate some values with students. Let’s have a look how to do it.

Immediate Window – Run, Debug & Inspect Lambda Expression

This is just awesome ! You will start getting all LINQ expression, extension method and write you own query too.

You can simply execute or debug the Lambda expression.

This save a lot of time and gave a lot of flexibility to developers.

Watch Window – Run, Debug & Inspect Lambda Expression

Watch windows is one of most commonly used debugging tool with Visual Studio. We generally used to explore the objects, values, properties and other nested objects as a tree structure. We can do lot of stuff using Watch Window. Now we can do, debugging of Lambda Expression.

Must Read : Watch Window Tips and Tricks

Select the LINQ Expression and Click on Add To Watch

Now, Explore Your Data coming out of LINQ / Lambda

You can even write fresh statement.

And Of course, same things you can do it for Quick Watch Too.

DataTips – Run, Debug & Inspect Lambda Expression

DataTips is an advanced tooltip message that can be used for inspecting the objects or variables while debugging the application with in Visual Studio. Along with Watch Window and Immediate Window, DataTips also support debugging of Lambda Expression.

Step 1 : Add a DataTips during Debugging