What is 'defense-in-depth' in bug fixing?

It is a strategy where you apply the primary fix at the root cause, but also add secondary validations at every layer of the call stack to prevent similar issues from propagating in the future.

How does this skill differ from standard AI debugging?

Standard debugging often focuses on fixing the line where the error occurred. This skill enforces a 'backward tracing' protocol to ensure the fix happens where the bad data was first created, not just where it was detected.

How does this help with failing test suites?

The skill includes specific workflows for test isolation, such as binary searching your test directory to find hidden 'polluter' tests that leak state and cause subsequent tests to fail.

Can Claude run my debugger directly using this skill?

While Claude cannot interactively run a debugger, this skill provides precise commands for you to run (in lldb, gdb, etc.) and specific variables to check, allowing Claude to interpret the results and trace the stack with you.

Root Cause Tracing

Name: Root Cause Tracing
Author: withzombies

bywithzombies

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Seguridad y Pruebas

Identifies the original source of software errors by tracing bugs backward through the call stack to prevent superficial band-aid fixes.

Acerca de

Root Cause Tracing empowers Claude to go beyond surface-level error messages by systematically investigating the call stack to find where invalid data or state first originated. By following a rigorous backward-tracing methodology, it ensures that fixes are applied at the architectural source of the problem rather than where the symptom manifests. This skill is particularly valuable for complex applications with deep execution paths, intermittent test failures, or cases where utility libraries report errors actually caused by upstream logic.

Características Principales

Step-by-step backward call stack analysis
Guided debugger commands for tools like lldb
Test pollution isolation using binary search techniques
Root cause identification vs. symptom mitigation
Automated instrumentation for intermittent bug capture
13 GitHub stars

Casos de Uso

Debugging invalid data or null pointers that originate several layers above the error site
Fixing recurring 'ghost' bugs in library code by tracing them back to API boundary violations
Identifying specific test files causing environment pollution or global state leaks

Acerca de

Características Principales

Step-by-step backward call stack analysis
Guided debugger commands for tools like lldb
Test pollution isolation using binary search techniques
Root cause identification vs. symptom mitigation
Automated instrumentation for intermittent bug capture
13 GitHub stars

Casos de Uso

Debugging invalid data or null pointers that originate several layers above the error site
Fixing recurring 'ghost' bugs in library code by tracing them back to API boundary violations
Identifying specific test files causing environment pollution or global state leaks