When should I stop attempting fixes and look at architecture instead?

If three or more fix attempts have failed, or if every fix attempt reveals a new problem in a different place, the process mandates stopping to question the fundamental architecture with a human partner.

Does this skill require specific testing frameworks?

No, it is framework-agnostic. It emphasizes creating the simplest possible reproduction, whether that is a unit test, an automated script, or a manual verification step, before applying a fix.

How does this skill handle bugs in multi-component systems?

It uses a boundary-logging strategy, requiring instrumentation at every layer (e.g., workflow to build script) to gather evidence on where data flow breaks before investigating a specific component.

What is the Iron Law of this debugging skill?

The Iron Law dictates that no fixes can be proposed or implemented until a full Phase 1 Root Cause Investigation is complete. This prevents the masking of underlying issues with temporary patches.

Systematic Debugging

Name: Systematic Debugging
Author: EricOo0

byEricOo0

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Security & Testing

Enforces a rigorous, four-phase debugging framework to identify root causes and implement verified fixes without trial-and-error thrashing.

The Systematic Debugging skill provides a structured framework for Claude to diagnose and resolve technical issues, ranging from simple test failures to complex multi-component system bugs. By mandating deep root cause investigation and diagnostic instrumentation before any code changes are proposed, it eliminates time wasted on 'quick patches' and prevents the introduction of secondary bugs. This skill is essential for high-pressure production incidents, legacy code maintenance, and complex integration problems where the source of failure is not immediately obvious.

Key Features

01Strict four-phase workflow: Root Cause, Pattern Analysis, Hypothesis, and Implementation.

02Integrated data flow and backward call-stack tracing techniques.

03Architectural red-flag detection that triggers a strategy shift after three failed fix attempts.

04Mandatory diagnostic instrumentation for isolating failures in multi-component systems.

05Requirement for failing test cases to ensure the root cause is truly understood and resolved.

065 GitHub stars

Use Cases

01Debugging complex data flow issues across service boundaries, such as CI/CD pipelines or API-to-database layers.

02Stabilizing legacy codebases where 'quick fixes' frequently introduce regressions or side effects.

03Resolving intermittent production bugs or flaky tests that lack clear reproduction steps.

What are Skills?·How to Install

Install with 🐟 Skill.Fish

npx skillfish add ericoo0/stock-trading-platform systematic-debugging

For use in Claude.ai and ChatGPT

Download Skill