Debug builds do not optimize and allow accurate setting of breakpoints. They contain debugging symbols, but the code built-in “Release” mode is optimized for speed or size without any debug data.
In a .NET interview, when asked to differentiate between a Debug build and a Release build, you would typically explain the following:
- Debug Build:
- Intended for debugging purposes during development.
- Generated with debug symbols, which include additional metadata to aid in debugging, such as line numbers, variable names, and function names.
- Typically, optimizations are disabled, making it easier to debug as the generated code closely matches the source code.
- Contains additional runtime checks and assertions to catch errors and facilitate debugging.
- Generates larger executables due to the inclusion of debug symbols and additional checks.
- Release Build:
- Intended for deployment in production environments.
- Generated without debug symbols to reduce file size and improve performance.
- Compiler optimizations are enabled to improve the performance of the generated code.
- Generally, runtime checks and assertions are removed to optimize execution speed.
- Produces smaller and faster executables compared to debug builds.
In summary, a Debug build is tailored for the development phase, facilitating debugging with additional metadata and runtime checks, while a Release build is optimized for deployment, prioritizing performance and minimizing file size by excluding debug symbols and enabling compiler optimizations.