How to Use Conditional Breakpoints in IDEA to Debug Specific Loop Iterations

Today DD shares a handy debugging tip for IntelliJ IDEA.

Imagine a loop where an error occurs only at a certain iteration, such as the 27th run.

for (int i = 0; i < 100; i++) {
    // business logic
    System.out.println(i);
}

Instead of adding a regular breakpoint and repeatedly clicking the green arrow until the problematic iteration appears, you can use a conditional breakpoint.

Right‑click the red breakpoint dot, select the Condition field, and enter the expression that should trigger the breakpoint.

For example, entering i == 27 makes the program stop exactly when i reaches 27, saving you from manually stepping through the loop.

This technique works not only for simple loops but also for many complex debugging scenarios.