Can this skill interact with live debuggers?

While Claude cannot run a debugger directly, this skill provides specific commands for the user to run in debuggers like GDB or LLDB and helps interpret the resulting output.

When should I use the debugging-with-tools skill?

Use it for any technical issue, including test failures, build errors, or unexpected behavior, especially when the cause isn't immediately obvious or previous fixes have failed.

What is the systematic debugging workflow?

It is a disciplined four-phase approach consisting of Investigation (using tools for evidence), Hypothesis (forming a theory), Testing (validating with minimal changes), and Fixing (addressing the root cause).

Why is it important to fix the root cause instead of the symptom?

Fixing symptoms often leads to 'whack-a-mole' development where the bug resurfaces in a different form. Root cause fixes solve the problem permanently across the entire codebase.

How does this skill use Claude Code agents?

It dispatches the internet-researcher to find solutions for specific error messages and the codebase-investigator to map out code structures and data flow related to the bug.

Systematic Debugging & Tooling

Name: Systematic Debugging & Tooling
Author: withzombies

bywithzombies

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Security & Testing

Enforces a rigorous, tool-assisted methodology to identify and resolve the root cause of software bugs through systematic investigation and evidence-based hypotheses.

About

The Systematic Debugging skill transforms how Claude handles technical issues by replacing guesswork with a disciplined four-phase workflow: investigation, hypothesis, testing, and fixing. By leveraging specialized agents like the internet-researcher for error analysis and the codebase-investigator for context, it ensures that every fix addresses the underlying root cause rather than just the visible symptoms. This skill is essential for developers facing complex test failures, cryptic environment errors, or regression bugs, providing a structured path to permanent solutions while preventing the 'whack-a-mole' cycle of superficial patches.

Key Features

Deep stack trace and error message diagnostic protocols
Multi-agent investigation utilizing internet-researcher and codebase-investigator
Root cause verification through minimal reproduction test cases
Instrumentation and logging strategies for real-time state inspection
Evidence-based hypothesis generation to eliminate trial-and-error fixing
13 GitHub stars

Use Cases

Eliminating recurring bugs by identifying architectural flaws instead of symptom-level fixes
Debugging complex environment or build issues like linker errors and dependency conflicts
Resolving ambiguous test failures where the source of error is not immediately obvious

About

Key Features

Deep stack trace and error message diagnostic protocols
Multi-agent investigation utilizing internet-researcher and codebase-investigator
Root cause verification through minimal reproduction test cases
Instrumentation and logging strategies for real-time state inspection
Evidence-based hypothesis generation to eliminate trial-and-error fixing
13 GitHub stars

Use Cases

Eliminating recurring bugs by identifying architectural flaws instead of symptom-level fixes
Debugging complex environment or build issues like linker errors and dependency conflicts
Resolving ambiguous test failures where the source of error is not immediately obvious