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Debug Errors in Drupal using ChatGPT and Ignition

Last year we released an integration module for Drupal 10 for Ignition that took the default look of error and exception pages from this:

Drupal error code presented in a way that developers could read it, but users would not understand it.

And turned them into this beautiful output:

A specific error message written in Ignition that shows a plain text error with an explanation, and links on how to resolve the error. This one says “You tried to call a method that does not exist for this object. This can happen with entities that you do not expect are passed into your code and cannot have this method called against them. Check the calling code to ensure you only pass what is expected. Here are some links that may provide an answer.”

This is all thanks to the Ignition third-party package. Senior developers are familiar with stark white error message output, and we can usually figure them out quickly. However, junior developers or new developers on a project might have trouble figuring out why they get these errors or how to resolve them.

That is why we created the Ignition integration. Ignition boasts several configuration options that you can read about on its GitHub project page.

Integration with ChatGPT

Thanks to contributor Dieter Holvoet, one new feature we wanted to highlight here is its ability to integrate with OpenAI’s ChatGPT to attempt to explain what you are seeing and why you are seeing it. All you need is an account with OpenAI to take advantage of this feature.

When an error occurs, Ignition will construct a prompt with the error automatically and output it on the error screen for you. From here, it may help you get to the root cause of the issue and fix it faster than before:

Screenshot of an error screen stating "Entity queries must explicitly set whether the query should be access checked or not."

This is rather exciting because this can lower the barrier of entry to debugging and development in an application like Drupal. We had experimented with this idea over in the OpenAI module as well prior to this, logging AI explanations with the standard database logger tool. This addition now puts the output on the screen so you do not need to leave the page you are viewing with the error.

You can download the newest version of Ignition for Drupal 10 today and try out OpenAI ChatGPT powered error explanations with Ignition today right here.

Get the Drupal 10 Development Cookbook 

Drupal 9 is now end of life. Have you upgraded to Drupal 10 yet? Are you facing some difficulties? We have a great resource that can help you!

The "Drupal 10 Development Cookbook" is co-authored by Matt Glaman and Kevin Quillen. They cover a wide variety of topics with hands-on examples so you can get up and running with Drupal 10 in no time. These topics include running Drupal locally with Docker-based tools, content modeling, creating custom modules, how to do automated testing, and migrating data into Drupal from various data sources. The book will help you understand how to develop and build modules just like the ones we talk about often at Velir.  

What others are saying:

The "Drupal 10 Development Cookbook" is highly regarded in the Drupal community, receiving favorable reviews for its advanced and detailed approach to updating one's Drupal needs. Released in February 2023, this edition is particularly notable for its timely publication following the release of Drupal 10, offering an updated and comprehensive guide for Drupal development. This book is a must-read for anyone looking to master Drupal 10 development.

You can pick up the book on Amazon as a physical copy or for Kindle.

Written by: Kevin Quillen
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