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#### 5.4.1 A Tale of Two Modes

The many debugging, compiling, and examination commands provided in IDLWAVE are available simultaneously through two different interfaces: the original, multi-key command interface, and the new Electric Debug Mode. The functionality they offer is similar, but the way you interact with them is quite different. The main difference is that, in Electric Debug Mode, the source buffers are made read-only, and single key-strokes are used to step through, examine expressions, set and remove breakpoints, etc. The same variables, prefix arguments, and settings apply to both versions, and both can be used interchangeably. By default, when breakpoints are hit, Electric Debug Mode is enabled. The traditional interface is described first. See Electric Debug Mode, for more on that mode. Note that electric debug mode can be prevented from activating automatically by customizing the variable `idlwave-shell-automatic-electric-debug`.