# AutoGraph reference

[Index](index.md)

## Debugging AutoGraph code

The recommended way to debug AutoGraph code is to run it eagerly (see below).

AutoGraph generates a new function, rather than directly executing the input
function. Non-code elements, such as breakpoints, do not transfer to the
generated code.

You can step through the generated code and set breakpoints while debugging.
The converted function is cached, and breakpoints should persist for the
lifetime of the Python runtime.

Note: The code generated by AutoGraph code is more complex than the input code,
and is interspersed with AutoGraph boilerplate.

Note: Python debugging can only be used to step through the code during graph
construction time (or tracing time in the case of `tf.function`). To debug
TensorFlow execution, use Eager execution.

### Debugging `tf.function`: `tf.config.experimental_run_functions_eagerly`

When using `@tf.function`, you can temporarily toggle graph execution by using
`tf.config.experimental_run_functions_eagerly`. This will effectively run the
annotated code eagerly, without transformation. Since AutoGraph has semantics
consistent with Eager, it's an effective way to debug the code step-by-step.

Note: AutoGraph is compatible with Eager, but the converse is not always
true, so exercise care when making modifications to the code while debugging.

Consider the following code:

```
@tf.function
def f(a):
  pdb.set_trace()
  if a > 0:
    tf.print(a, 'is positive')
```

Executing the line below will land the debugger in generated code, when the
function is traced:

```
f(1)
```

```
>l
     10     def tf__f(a):
     11       pdb.set_trace()
---> 12       ag__.converted_call('print', tf, ag__.STD, (a,), None)
     13
     14       ...
```

Adding a call to `tf.config.experimental_run_functions_eagerly` before executing
the function will land the debugger in the original code instead:

```
tf.config.run_functions_eagerly(True)
f(1)
```

```
>l
      8 def f(a):
      9   pdb.set_trace()
---> 10   tf.print(a)
     11   if a > 0:
     12     tf.print('is positive')
```

### Using `print` and `tf.print`

The `print` function is not converted by AutoGraph, and can be used to inspect
the values of variables at graph construction time.

Mixing `print` with `tf.print` can be confusing at first because they run at
different stages. In general:

 * all `print`s run when the TensorFlow graph is constructed
 * all `tf.print`s run when the TensorFlow graph is executed

#### Example: `print`

To see the difference between `print` and `tf.print`.

```
@tf.function
def f(a):
  print(a)
  if a > 0:
    a = -a
```

When `a` is a `tf.Tensor` object, it is printed without an actual value:

```
f(tf.constant(1))
```
```
Tensor("a:0", shape=(), dtype=int32)
```

Similarly, when `a` is just a Python value, it is printed directly:

```
f(1)
```
```
1
```

#### Example: `print` followed by `tf.print`

To see the difference between `print` and `tf.print`, let's run them together:

```
@tf.function
def f(a):
  print(a)
  tf.print(a)
```

For non-`Tensor` values, they produce similar results:

```
f(1)
```
```
1
1
```

For Tensor values, only `tf.print` outputs the actual value:

```
f(tf.constant(1))
```
```
Tensor("a:0", shape=(), dtype=int32)
1
```

#### Example: `tf.print` followed by `print`

Remember that, in general, *all `print`s run before all `tf.prints`*.
What's more, since graphs are usually built once and executed multiple times,
`print` usually runs just once when the function is first called.

So in the example below, even though `tf.print` appears above `print`, it will
run after it, because the graph is executed after it is built:

```
@tf.function
def f(a):
  tf.print('At graph execution:', a)
  print('At graph construction:', a)
```

```
f(tf.constant(1))
```
```
At graph construction: Tensor("a:0", shape=(), dtype=int32)
At graph execution: 1
```

Calling the function again will re-use the graph in this case:

```
f(tf.constant(1))
```
```
At graph execution: 1
```