What makes dev-debug different from standard AI debugging?

Unlike standard chat interactions, dev-debug enforces a strict 4-phase protocol that requires a reproduction test and evidence of a root cause before any code changes are allowed.

What is the 'Iron Law of Debugging'?

The Iron Law is a non-negotiable constraint within the skill that forbids writing fixes until the bug has been reproduced, the data flow traced, and a hypothesis tested.

How does the skill handle GUI application errors?

It uses a mandatory 6-step 'GUI Debugging Gate' involving building, launching with file-based logs, and verifying those logs to ensure the bug is actually gone.

Why does the skill use Ralph loops?

Ralph loops allow the skill to iterate autonomously up to a defined limit, spawning task agents to perform the heavy lifting of investigation and coding while the main chat orchestrates the strategy.

What happens if the skill fails to find a fix?

After three consecutive failed hypotheses, the skill triggers a Recovery Protocol which reverts changes, documents the failures in a recovery log, and escalates to the user for context.

Systematic Dev Debugger

Name: Systematic Dev Debugger
Author: edwinhu

byedwinhu

Security & Testing

Facilitates a rigorous, evidence-based debugging workflow using automated investigation loops and regression-first testing.

About

The dev-debug skill transforms Claude into a systematic investigator that follows a strict 4-phase protocol—Investigate, Analyze, Hypothesize, and Fix—to resolve complex software defects. By enforcing the 'Iron Law of Debugging,' it prevents guesswork by requiring reproduction tests and root-cause analysis before any code changes are made. It leverages Ralph loops for automated iteration and includes specialized execution gates for GUI applications to ensure bugs are verified via mandatory log analysis rather than mere symptom suppression.

Key Features

Failure Recovery: Automatic escalation and documentation after three failed hypotheses to prevent logic loops and guesswork.
Automated Ralph Loops: Iterative, goal-oriented loops that orchestrate task agents until a verified fix is achieved.
4-Phase Protocol: Structured workflow covering Investigation, Analysis, Hypothesis Testing, and Final Fix.
Iron Law Enforcement: Mandatory root-cause investigation and reproduction before any code fixes are attempted.
GUI Debugging Gates: Specialized 6-step verification process for graphical applications using file-based logging.
0 GitHub stars

Use Cases

Automated regression testing to ensure bug fixes are permanent and verified by code.
Root-cause investigation for complex, intermittent bugs that require deep data flow tracing.
Debugging GUI-based applications where log-driven verification is required over manual inspection.

About

Key Features

Failure Recovery: Automatic escalation and documentation after three failed hypotheses to prevent logic loops and guesswork.
Automated Ralph Loops: Iterative, goal-oriented loops that orchestrate task agents until a verified fix is achieved.
4-Phase Protocol: Structured workflow covering Investigation, Analysis, Hypothesis Testing, and Final Fix.
Iron Law Enforcement: Mandatory root-cause investigation and reproduction before any code fixes are attempted.
GUI Debugging Gates: Specialized 6-step verification process for graphical applications using file-based logging.
0 GitHub stars

Use Cases

Automated regression testing to ensure bug fixes are permanent and verified by code.
Root-cause investigation for complex, intermittent bugs that require deep data flow tracing.
Debugging GUI-based applications where log-driven verification is required over manual inspection.