FREE AI Code and AI Debug agent for Developers - Zentara Code

Zentar.AI

AI DEBUG and AI CODE integrated for FREE.
The best AI for coding and debugging.
Zentara Code is your all-in-one AI coding assistant and AI debugger, seamlessly integrated into Visual Studio Code. Use artificial intelligence to detect bugs in code by real professional debuggers. Whether you're writing new features or fixing bugs, Zentara Code streamlines the process by combining intelligent code generation with powerful runtime AI debugging capabilities.

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Why current AI code agent workflow slows you down today

- Buggy output from smart‑sounding agents – LLMs can draft code quickly, but hidden bugs slip in and surface later.
- Endless loop of wrong fixes – When a failure appears, most agents recycle the same incorrect patch instead of investigating the real cause.
- No runtime context – Without variable values or stack traces, the model is guessing in the dark.
- Forced context‑switch – You still have to open a manual debugger, breaking flow and wasting time and focus.The pattern is everywhere: agents look PhD‑level but spin in circles on obvious bugs because they can’t see runtime state.

Why Choose Zentara Code for AI Coding and AI Debugging

Traditional AI code agents often fall short when it comes to debugging. They can generate code snippets, but when errors occur, you're left to manually diagnose and fix issues. Zentara Code changes that by:Launching Full AI Debug Sessions: Automatically starts and controls debugging sessions within VS Code.Managing Breakpoints Intelligently: Sets conditional and temporary breakpoints to catch bugs on the first run.Inspecting Program State: Analyzes variables and stack traces in real-time to identify root causes.Supporting Multiple Languages: Works with Python, JavaScript, TypeScript, Go, Rust, Java—any language supported by VS Code's Debug Adapter Protocol (DAP).

How Zentara Code fixes it

How it works

1. Describe a task or paste a failing test
2. Zentara Code edits or creates the code
3. It spins up a debug session and walks the stack, automatically fix the bugs.
4. You ship—minutes instead of days debugging the AI generated buggy code

Benefits

For developers
- Fix runtime errors immediately—no reruns
- Stay in the editor you already useFor engineering leads
- Cut mean‑time‑to‑repair up to 60 %
- Reduce release slippage and hot‑fix fire drills
- Free seniors to focus on architecture, not log diving

CAPABILITIES

AI-Powered Code Generation & Modification:
Understands natural language prompts to create and modify code. Zentara Code is a fork from a wonderful open-source AI code agent: Roo-Code and contains Roo-Code coding capabilities.Integrated Runtime Debugging:
Zentara AI debug functions has following capabilities
Full Debug Session Control: Programmatically launches, and quits debugging sessions.
Precise Execution Control: Steps through code (over, into, out), sets execution pointers, and runs to specific lines.
Advanced Breakpoint Management: Sets, removes, and configures conditional, temporary, and standard breakpoints.
In-Depth State Inspection: Examines call stacks, inspects variables (locals, arguments, globals), and views source code in context.
Dynamic Code Evaluation: Evaluates expressions and executes statements during a debug session to understand and alter program state.Intelligent Exception Handling:
* When a program or test run in a debugging session encounters an error or exception, Zentara Code can analyze the exception information from the debugger.
* It then intelligently decides on the next steps, such as performing a stack trace, reading stack frame variables, or navigating up the call stack to investigate the root cause.Enhanced Python Pytest Debugging:
* Zentara Code overrides the default pytest behavior of silencing assertion errors during test runs.
* It catches these errors immediately, allowing for real-time, interactive debugging of pytest failures. Instead of waiting for a summary at the end, exceptions bubble up, enabling Zentara Code to react contextually (e.g., by inspecting state at the point of failure).Language-Agnostic Debugging:
* Leverages the Debug Adapter Protocol (DAP) to debug any programming language that has a DAP-compliant debugger available in VS Code. This means Zentara Code is not limited to specific languages but can adapt to your project's needs.VS Code Native Experience: Integrates seamlessly with VS Code's debugging infrastructure, providing a familiar and powerful experience.Text

Zentara Code provides a rich set of granular debugging operations, allowing for precise control over the debugging process:Session Management
* debug_launch: Starts a new debugging session for a specified program or test.
* debug_restart: Restart debugging session.
* debug_quit: Terminates the currently running program and exits the debugger.Execution Control
* debug_continue: Resumes program execution until the next breakpoint or program end.
* debug_next: Executes the current line and stops at the next line in the current function (steps over calls).
* debug_step_in: Steps into a function call on the current line, or to the next line if no function call.
* debug_step_out: Continues execution until the current function returns, then stops.
* debug_jump: Changes the next line of code that will be executed within the current stack frame.
* debug_until: Continues program execution until it reaches a specified line number in the current source file.Breakpoint Management
* debug_set_breakpoint: Adds a breakpoint at a specified location.
* debug_set_temp_breakpoint: Adds a temporary breakpoint that is removed after being hit once.
* debug_remove_breakpoint: Removes an existing breakpoint.
* debug_remove_all_breakpoints_in_file: Removes all breakpoints currently set in a specified source file.
* debug_disable_breakpoint: Disables an existing breakpoint without removing it.
* debug_enable_breakpoint: Re-enables a previously disabled breakpoint.
* debug_ignore_breakpoint: Sets or clears an ignore count for a breakpoint (skip N hits).
* debug_set_breakpoint_condition: Sets or clears the condition for an existing breakpoint.
* debug_get_active_breakpoints: Retrieves a list of all currently set breakpoints.Stack & Source Inspection
* debug_stack_trace: Displays the current call stack of the paused program.
* debug_list_source: Displays lines of source code around the current execution point in a frame.
* debug_up: Moves the debugger's current focus one level up in the call stack.
* debug_down: Moves the debugger's current focus one level down in the call stack.
* debug_goto_frame: Changes the debugger's current focus to a specific stack frame by ID.
* debug_get_source: Retrieves the source code definition for an object, function, or class.State Inspection & Evaluation
* debug_get_stack_frame_variables: Retrieves variables from specified scopes (Local, Arguments, etc.) within a frame.
* debug_get_args: Retrieves the arguments passed to the function/method of a specified stack frame.
* debug_evaluate: Evaluates an arbitrary expression within the context of a specified stack frame.
* debug_pretty_print: Evaluates an expression and returns a formatted, human-readable string of its value.
* debug_whatis: Evaluates an expression and returns the type of the resulting value.
* debug_execute_statement: Executes a given statement (potentially with side effects) in a frame.Status Information
* debug_get_last_stop_info: Retrieves the full body of the last "stopped" event from the debugger.Text

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AI Debug – A Beginner’s Guide

AI Debug: How AI‑Powered Tools Are Transforming Debugging

Software developers spend a significant portion of their time debugging rather than writing new features. AI debug (or AI‑powered debugging) uses artificial intelligence techniques to identify, diagnose, and fix bugs faster and with less manual effort. This guide explains what AI debugging is, why it matters, the main types of debugging enhanced by AI, and how tools like Zentara Code bring AI‑driven runtime debugging directly into Visual Studio Code

1. What Is AI Debugging ?Why Does It Matter?

Traditional debugging means setting breakpoints, inspecting variables, and sifting through logs by hand. AI debugging complements (and sometimes automates) those tasks by

2. Where AI Helps: Stages of Debugging

2.1 Static Analysis (Pre‑Runtime)

AI‑based static analyzers learn from millions of commits to flag subtle bugs or security flaws that rule‑based linters may miss. This is the type of debugging that most AI Coders such as Cline, Roo-Code, Aider, Cursor, Windsurf use for debugging.

2.2 Compile‑Time Error Debugging

AI assistants can interpret compiler errors and even generate one‑click patches, which auto‑patches certain build failures.

2.3 Runtime Debugging

During execution an AI agent can drive a debugger: setting breakpoints, stepping through code, inspecting state, and applying fixes on the fly. Microsoft’s research recent paper on debug‑gym shows giving an LLM live debugging tools significantly boosts its bug‑fix success rate

3. Benefits of AI‑Powered Runtime Debugging

4. Traditional vs. AI‑Assisted Debugging: A Simple Example

Buggy code
# Expected result is -1 but function returns 0
def find_max(nums):
max_val = 0
for x in nums:
if x > max_val:
max_val = x
return max_val
print(find_max([-5, -1, -10]))

Manually you’d step through or add prints.
An AI agent instead:

# AI‑generated fix
def find_max(nums):
if not nums:
return None
max_val = nums[0]
for x in nums:
if x > max_val:
max_val = x
return max_val


5. Zentara Code: AI Runtime Debugging Inside VS Code

Zentara Code pairs a large‑language‑model agent with VS Code’s Debug Adapter Protocol. It can:

The end result is no context‑switching: Zentara-Code writes code, tests it, debugs failures, and retries until the issue is resolved , often in minutes.

How to Install Zentara Code
The quick version: open your editor, search for Zentara Code in the extensions panel, click Install, reload when asked. Easy and simple.
Need more detail? Pick the method that matches your setup.VS Code or Cursor (Marketplace)
1. Open VS Code.
2. Extensions panel: square-icon in the sidebar or Ctrl + Shift + X (Windows/Linux) / Cmd + Shift + X (macOS).
3. Search for Zentara Code.
4. Click Install on the entry by Zentar.AI
5. Reload VS Code if it prompts you.
6. Look for the Zentara Code loop and code icon in the left sidebar to open the Zentara Code panel.VSCodium, Windsurf, or other VS Code-compatible editors (Open VSX)
1. Open your editor.
2. Open the Extensions view.
3. Search for Zentara Code.
4. Install the extension by Zentar.AI and reload if asked.Build from the source code
Need the bleeding-edge version? Check the Github README for more detailed instructionManual VSIX Install
1. Grab the latest .vsix file from the Zentara Code GitHub Releases page.
2. In VS Code, open Extensions → click the … menu → Install from VSIX….
3. Pick the file you just downloaded and reload when prompted.

installation problems

Quick ExampleHere are a few examples of how you can use Zentara Code to debug different types of projects.
The example scripts (quicksort_buggy.py, test_quicksort_pytest.py, merge_sort_buggy.js, insertion_sort_buggy.ts, etc.) mentioned in these tutorials can be found in the testdata/ directory of the github repository at https://github.com/Zentar-Ai/Zentara-Code
These tutorials are condensed versions; for more detailed step-by-step guides, please refer to the corresponding markdown files in the testdata/ directory (e.g., debugging_demo.md, debugging_demo_pytest.md).1. Debugging a Python ScriptThis tutorial demonstrates debugging a standard Python script. We'll use an example of a buggy quicksort algorithm.Scenario: You have a Python script, quicksort_buggy.py, that isn't sorting correctly.a. Prepare Your Workspace:
- Ensure testdata/quicksort_buggy.py (or your target script) is in your workspace.
- (Optional) Create a copy to debug, e.g., testdata/quicksort_buggy.debug.py.b. Initiate Debugging with Zentara Code:
Instruct Zentara Code (e.g., in Code Mode or Debug Mode):
"Zentara, start debugging testdata/quicksort_buggy.debug.py. Stop at the beginning of the script."
(Zentara Code would use debug_launch with program: "testdata/quicksort_buggy.debug.py" and stopOnEntry: true)c. Observe Initial Behavior (Optional):
"Zentara, continue execution and let me know what happens."
(Zentara Code uses debug_continue)
The script might run to completion, show errors, or fail assertions.d. Set Breakpoints & Investigate:
Assume an error occurs related to sorting an empty list.
"Zentara, restart the debug session for testdata/quicksort_buggy.debug.py, stopping at the entry.
Set a breakpoint at the beginning of the quick_sort function in testdata/quicksort_buggy.debug.py.
Also, set a breakpoint where quick_sort is called for an empty list scenario (likely within the script's own test harness).
Continue execution until the breakpoint for the empty list call is hit."
(Zentara Code uses debug_restart, debug_set_breakpoint, then debug_continue)e. Step Through and Inspect:
Once paused:
"Zentara, I'm at the breakpoint.
1. What are the arguments being passed to quick_sort?
2. Now, step into the quick_sort function."
(Zentara Code uses debug_evaluate or debug_get_args, then debug_step_in)Inside quick_sort:
"Zentara, step through the function line by line. Show me the values of low, high, and arr at each step."
(Zentara Code uses debug_next repeatedly, with debug_evaluate or debug_get_stack_frame_variables)f. Diagnose the Bug:
Based on the debugger's output, you might identify the cause.
"Zentara, it seems the base case for empty lists in quick_sort is not handled correctly."2. Debugging Python with PytestThis tutorial shows how to debug Python code using pytest.Scenario: You have quicksort_buggy.py and a test_quicksort_pytest.py file containing tests for it.a. Prepare Your Workspace:
- Ensure both testdata/quicksort_buggy.py and testdata/test_quicksort_pytest.py are present.
- It's good practice to have tests import from a copy, e.g., testdata/quicksort_buggy.debug.py. Create this copy.b. Initiate Pytest Debugging:
"Zentara, debug the tests in testdata/test_quicksort_pytest.py using pytest. Stop on entry."
(Zentara Code uses debug_launch with program: "testdata/test_quicksort_pytest.py", mode: "pytest", and stopOnEntry: true)c. Observe Initial Test Failures:
"Zentara, continue execution and report the pytest results."
(Zentara Code uses debug_continue)
Pytest will report failing tests.d. Set Breakpoints & Investigate a Failing Test:
Assume test_empty_list in testdata/test_quicksort_pytest.py fails.
"Zentara, restart the pytest debug session for testdata/test_quicksort_pytest.py, stopping at entry.
Set a breakpoint in testdata/test_quicksort_pytest.py where the quick_sort logic is called for test_empty_list.
Also, set a breakpoint at the start of the quick_sort function in testdata/quicksort_buggy.debug.py.
Continue execution."
(Zentara Code uses debug_restart, debug_set_breakpoint (for test and source file), then debug_continue)e. Step Through Test and Source Code:
When paused in the test file:
"Zentara, step into the call that leads to quick_sort."
(Zentara Code uses debug_step_in)Once inside quick_sort in testdata/quicksort_buggy.debug.py:
"Zentara, step through quick_sort line by line, showing key variables, to see why test_empty_list is failing."
(Zentara Code uses debug_next and variable inspection tools)f. Diagnose the Bug:
By observing the runtime behavior of testdata/quicksort_buggy.debug.py as called by the test, you can identify the bug.3. Debugging a JavaScript ScriptThis tutorial covers debugging a typical JavaScript (e.g., Node.js) script. We'll use a buggy Merge Sort example.Scenario: You have merge_sort_buggy.js that produces incorrect output.a. Prepare Your Workspace:
- Ensure testdata/merge_sort_buggy.js is available.
- (Optional) Create a copy, e.g., testdata/merge_sort_buggy.debug.js.b. Initiate JavaScript Debugging:
"Zentara, start debugging testdata/merge_sort_buggy.debug.js. Stop at the beginning."
(Zentara Code uses debug_launch with program: "testdata/merge_sort_buggy.debug.js" and stopOnEntry: true)c. Observe Initial Output:
"Zentara, continue and show me the output."
(Zentara Code uses debug_continue)d. Set Breakpoints & Investigate:
Suppose an array [5, 2, 8, 1, 9, 4] is sorted incorrectly.
"Zentara, restart debugging for testdata/merge_sort_buggy.debug.js, stop at entry.
Set a breakpoint at the start of the mergeSort function in testdata/merge_sort_buggy.debug.js.
Set another breakpoint where mergeSort is called with [5, 2, 8, 1, 9, 4] (within the script's test calls).
Continue."
(Zentara Code uses debug_restart, debug_set_breakpoint, debug_continue)e. Step Through and Inspect (Focus on merge):
When paused:
"Zentara, step into mergeSort. Then, when execution reaches the merge function, step through that line by line. Show me left, right, result, leftIndex, and rightIndex."
(Zentara Code uses debug_step_in, debug_next within merge, and variable inspection)f. Diagnose the Bug:
This detailed inspection, especially of the merge function's logic, will help identify the bug.
4. Debugging a TypeScript ScriptThis tutorial shows debugging a TypeScript script, which involves a compilation step.Scenario: You have insertion_sort_buggy.ts with a faulty sorting algorithm.a. Compile TypeScript to JavaScript:
"Zentara, compile testdata/insertion_sort_buggy.ts using tsc."
(Zentara Code would use execute_command with command: "tsc testdata/insertion_sort_buggy.ts")
This creates testdata/insertion_sort_buggy.js.b. Initiate Debugging on Compiled JS:
"Zentara, debug the compiled testdata/insertion_sort_buggy.js. Stop at the beginning."
(Zentara Code uses debug_launch with program: "testdata/insertion_sort_buggy.js" and stopOnEntry: true)c. Observe Initial Assertion Failures:
"Zentara, continue execution and report any assertion failures."
(Zentara Code uses debug_continue)d. Set Breakpoints & Investigate:
If an assertion for a test array fails:
"Zentara, restart debugging for testdata/insertion_sort_buggy.js, stop at entry.
Set a breakpoint at the start of the insertionSort function (in testdata/insertion_sort_buggy.js).
Set another where insertionSort is called for the failing test case (within the script's test calls).
Continue."
(Zentara Code uses debug_restart, debug_set_breakpoint, debug_continue)e. Step Through and Inspect:
When paused:
"Zentara, step into insertionSort. Step line by line, showing i, j, current, and arr."
(Zentara Code uses debug_step_in, debug_next, and variable inspection tools on the JavaScript code)f. Diagnose the Bug:
By stepping through the compiled JavaScript and observing its runtime behavior, you can diagnose the issue in the original TypeScript logic.

Example Autonomous Debugging Prompts for Zentara Code

## Example Autonomous Debugging Prompts for Zentara CodeThe Quick Tutorials above show a step-by-step, interactive debugging process. However, you can also instruct Zentara Code to debug more autonomously. Here are some example high-level prompts based on the scenarios in the testdata/ directory:1. For General Python Script (testdata/quicksort_buggy.py):"Zentara, the script testdata/quicksort_buggy.py is not working correctly. Please debug it using your runtime analysis tools. Identify any bugs, explain them, and then try to fix the script. After applying fixes, verify if the corrected script passes its internal assertions."2. For Python with Pytest (testdata/test_quicksort_pytest.py and testdata/quicksort_buggy.py):"Zentara, the pytest tests in testdata/test_quicksort_pytest.py are failing when testing testdata/quicksort_buggy.py. Please use your pytest debugging mode to investigate these failures. Pinpoint the bugs in testdata/quicksort_buggy.py based on the test results and runtime analysis. Explain the bugs, then attempt to fix testdata/quicksort_buggy.py and confirm if the tests pass."
(Remember to have Zentara Code create a copy like quicksort_buggy.debug.py to modify, or instruct it to do so.)3. For JavaScript Script (testdata/merge_sort_buggy.js):"Zentara, testdata/merge_sort_buggy.js has a bug in its merge sort implementation. Please debug this script. Use your runtime debugging tools to find the issue, explain it clearly, and then try to correct the merge_sort_buggy.js file. Verify your fix."4. For TypeScript Script (testdata/insertion_sort_buggy.ts):"Zentara, the TypeScript script testdata/insertion_sort_buggy.ts needs debugging. First, compile it to JavaScript. Then, debug the compiled JavaScript output to find any bugs in the insertion sort logic. Explain the problems you discover, suggest fixes for the original .ts file, and if possible, apply and test them."These prompts give Zentara Code more leeway to decide on the specific debugging steps (breakpoints, stepping, inspection) needed to solve the problem.

Python Debugging Setup (Important)

For Zentara Code to effectively debug Python projects, especially those using Conda environments or specific pytest installations, ensure the correct Python interpreter is configured in your VS Code settings (.vscode/settings.json):json
{
"python.defaultInterpreterPath": "/path/to/your/conda/env/bin/python"
}

Replace /path/to/your/conda/env/bin/python with the actual path to your Python interpreter.

RESEARCH REPORTS

Human-AI Collaboration in Zentara Code Development

Zentara Code is built on a close partnership between human expertise and advanced AI systems. We use tools like Google Gemini and OpenAI to generate deep research reports that help us investigate the current state of knowledge and identify best practices. These reports form the foundation for project planning, guiding everything from design to implementation.We’ve chosen to disclose these research reports, thinking they may be of interest to a wider audience - researchers, developers, and anyone curious about how AI and humans can collaborate in building complex software systems.Our Role in the Zentara Development ProcessRight now, Zentara Code development still involves a lot of manual work on our end. We write and feed prompts into each stage of the pipeline, connect outputs from one stage to the next, debug the generated code, and perform code reviews. While our AI agent, Roo-Code, handles the heavy lifting - research, documentation, code generation, and test suite creation - the results often need iteration and refinement.In many cases, the AI-generated code is unoptimized. It may be repetitive, violate clean architecture principles like DRY (Don’t Repeat Yourself) and separation of concerns, or simply fall short of production quality. We step in to fix that - reviewing, rewriting, and guiding the AI to better outcomes.One example is the debugging engine in Zentara Code: it’s 99.9% written by AI, but still requires us to review, correct, and sometimes prompt the AI to rewrite parts until it meets the standard we need. The AI can suggest and apply fixes during runtime test execution, but it doesn’t replace judgment or accountability.Where We're HeadedOur long-term vision is to move away from manual handoffs entirely. We aim for a workflow where the user defines the requirements and the AI handles every part of the process such as research, planning, implementation, testing, debugging, and iteration - with minimal intervention.We believe the future of code development is about humans setting the direction, and AI doing the building. It’s not about handing over control. It’s about amplifying what developers can do by letting them focus on intent, architecture, and creativity while AI handles the rest.
DISCLAIMER: The above passage is written by AI with human guidance and approval. Entire Zentara Code technical documentation is written by AI with human supervision.