Agent skill

debugging

Root cause analysis and debugging protocols. Use when encountering errors, test failures, unexpected behavior, stack traces, or when code behaves differently than expected.

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npx add-skill https://github.com/siviter-xyz/dot-agent/tree/main/skills/debugging

SKILL.md

Debugging

Systematic approach to root cause analysis and debugging.

When to Use

  • Encountering errors or exceptions
  • Test failures that need investigation
  • Unexpected behavior in code
  • Stack traces or error messages
  • Code behaving differently than expected
  • Performance issues or bugs

Core Principles

  • Evidence-based: Base diagnosis on error messages, logs, and reproducible steps
  • Systematic: Follow structured debugging process
  • Minimal fixes: Implement smallest change that resolves issue
  • Verify solutions: Confirm fix works and doesn't introduce regressions

Debugging Process

Follow systematic debugging process:

  1. Capture error information (message, stack trace, logs, environment)
  2. Identify reproduction steps (minimal steps, conditions, edge cases)
  3. Isolate failure location (function/module, recent changes, dependencies)
  4. Form and test hypotheses (evidence-based, systematic testing, debug logging)
  5. Implement minimal fix (smallest change, preserve behavior, follow patterns)
  6. Verify solution (issue resolved, no regressions, tests pass)

See references/root-cause-analysis.md for detailed methods.

Strategic Debug Logging

Add debug logging to entry/exit points, state transitions, conditional branches, external API calls, and data transformations. Remove after issue resolved unless it provides ongoing value.

Error Pattern Recognition

Common patterns: null/undefined errors, type errors, timing issues, state corruption, configuration issues. See references/error-patterns.md for detailed patterns and solutions.

Integration

After fixing:

  • Verify CI passes (types, tests, lint)
  • Stage atomic changes (fix + tests)
  • Suggest semantic commit message
  • Confirm with user before committing

References

For detailed guidance, see:

  • references/root-cause-analysis.md - Systematic analysis methods
  • references/error-patterns.md - Common error patterns and solutions
  • references/debugging-tools.md - Debugging tools and techniques

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