PPE-debug – Comment-Powered Debugging for Python

PPE-debug is a creative Python utility that turns inline comments into actionable, contextual debug logs—without cluttering source code with temporary print statements. With a single decorator, developers can enable a range of debugging modes, from statement echoing to variable inspection, all powered by their existing comments.
Under the hood, PPE-debug bypasses the fact that Python discards comments during parsing by reattaching them to AST nodes, enabling semantic instrumentation without altering the original code text. The result is a zero-dependency, toggleable debugging layer that’s both non-intrusive and surprisingly powerful.
Initially released as a side project, PPE-debug gained unexpected traction, amassing over 1,000 downloads in its first month on PyPI. It stands as both a practical debugging aid and a compact demonstration of compiler-inspired runtime instrumentation.