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# C08 — Skills in Debugging and Alpha Testing the Software Solution

The Hamilton and Alexandra College · Year 12 · 2026

Study material for **VCE Software Development, Unit 4 Outcome 1, Criterion 8** — *Skills in debugging and alpha testing the software solution* — for students building their SAT in **Godot / GDScript**.

C08 has two indicators, each worth 50% of the criterion and each validated by its own instrument:

| | Indicator | Checkpoint (build this first) | Validation |
|---|---|---|---|
| **C8-1** | Testing & debugging | **Alpha testing plan** — testing table + debugging documentation + corrections | **Debug & Testing Screen Recording** — you record yourself running a failing test, finding the fault with the debugger, fixing it and re-running to pass |
| **C8-2** | Design modifications & contingencies | **Annotated design mod portfolio** — before/after annotations + updated evaluation criteria + contingency plan | **Design Mod Viva** — 8 minutes one-on-one, defending *why* you changed what you changed |

The checkpoint is the gateway: arrive with a genuine plan and portfolio, and the validation is a walk-through of work you already own.

## Foundations

- [Essential Terms](/sd/C08/Essential%20Terms) — the C08 glossary; click a term to expand its definition

## Pages

**Debugging (C8-1)**

- [Godot Debugging Tools](/sd/C08/Godot%20Debugging%20Tools) — the 90-second tour: Output panel, Debugger panel, and what each is for
- [Debugging with Breakpoints in Godot](/sd/C08/Debugging%20with%20Breakpoints%20in%20Godot) — set, step, inspect: the hands-on workflow
- [Debugging with Tetris](/sd/C08/Debugging%20with%20Tetris) — three seeded bugs in a real game: practise statements, breakpoints, then the full test-and-rectify cycle

**Alpha testing (C8-1)**

- [Software Testing Hierarchy](/sd/C08/Software%20Testing%20Hierarchy) — where alpha testing sits, and alpha vs beta
- [Types of Test Data](/sd/C08/Types%20of%20Test%20Data) — the six kinds your testing table must visit
- [Testing Tables and Corrections](/sd/C08/Testing%20Tables%20and%20Corrections) — the table structure that climbs the rubric

**Design modifications (C8-2)**

- [Modifying Designs with Annotations](/sd/C08/Modifying%20Designs%20with%20Annotations) — before/after annotations and the change log
- [Updating Evaluation Criteria](/sd/C08/Updating%20Evaluation%20Criteria) — revising your C4 matrix as the project evolves
- [Contingency Planning](/sd/C08/Contingency%20Planning) — risks, likelihood, mitigations, test methods

## Rubric at a glance

**C8-1 (testing & debugging):** 1–2 lists test data → 3–4 testing table (incomplete) + debugging statements → 5–6 expected output stated + validation-check inputs + breakpoints → 7–8 expected vs actual across a range of test cases + corrective actions documented → 9–10 complete list of actions for failed tests, all modules function correctly.

**C8-2 (design mods & contingencies):** 1–2 identifies designs requiring modification → 3–4 outlines the modifications using annotations → 5–6 documents evaluation-criteria updates → 7–8 explains *why* → 9–10 documents contingencies and solutions to mitigate them.

Both ladders are cumulative — a level counts only when everything below it is also solid.

Full task details, requirements checklists and scoring grids are in the assessment packages in your class repo (`S-C08`).