What is the difference between “step over” and “step over expression” in debugging of NetBeans?

Question

What is the difference between "step over" and "step over expression" in debugging of NetBeans? I have clicked on both of them, but I can't find a difference?

Answer 1

From Netbeans wiki:

Step Over Expression enables you to proceed through each method call in an expression and view the input parameters as well as resulting output values of each method call (...) If there are no further method calls, Step Over Expression behaves like the Step Over command.

Answer 2

If we use Step Over Expression, we will see input/ output of expression. In this image, I have expression String name = debug.getName("A") + debug.getName("B");.

When run we will see in image.

But with Step Over is not. We only see value of name.

Answer 3

According to NetBeans 6 in Simple Steps (p. 193),

Step Over (F8): Executes the current line then moves to the next line. If any line contains call to a method or constructor then executes the entire method or constructor without stepping into them.

Step Over Expression (SHIFT+F8): Steps through an expression and view the value of each method call in the expression. If a line has multiple calls to the methods or constructors, you can use the Step Over Expression. The Step Over Expression command performs like Step Over command if there are no multiple method calls.