IMHO

I think the real problem is using Test::More as a debugger

I get how easy it is to start using testing modules for everything

I get wanting document every debugging session , every development milestones,

but doing it in one file is bad habit, as is doing it using testing modules , the modularity of your API suffers if there is no separation between testing and development

the solution is smaller and smaller teeny tiny test files, like bug specific rt-666.t bug-frobnitz.t, even if 80%-99% of each test file are identical save for the input/output

but if you're gonna debug learn the API :) https://metacpan.org/pod/Test::More#Diagnostics

Update: Link fixed by GrandFather