Individual skill

systematic-debugging

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Use when encountering any bug, test failure, or unexpected behavior, before proposing fixes

skills/systematic-debugging/SKILL.md

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Repository stars (not skill ratings): 472
Repository last updated: Nov 8, 2026
License: MIT

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CREATION-LOG.mddoc · 4,268 bytes
SKILL.mdcore · 9,918 bytes
SKILL.mdcore · 9,918 bytes
condition-based-waiting-example.tsruns · 5,054 bytes
condition-based-waiting.mddoc · 3,516 bytes
defense-in-depth.mddoc · 3,650 bytes
find-polluter.shruns · 1,528 bytes
root-cause-tracing.mddoc · 5,327 bytes
test-academic.mddoc · 653 bytes
test-pressure-1.mddoc · 1,900 bytes
test-pressure-2.mddoc · 2,283 bytes
test-pressure-3.mddoc · 2,692 bytes

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# Systematic Debugging

## Overview

Random fixes waste time and create new bugs. Quick patches mask underlying issues.

**Core principle:** ALWAYS find root cause before attempting fixes. Symptom fixes are failure.

**Violating the letter of this process is violating the spirit of debugging.**

## The Iron Law

```
NO FIXES WITHOUT ROOT CAUSE INVESTIGATION FIRST