Why use symptom-based documentation instead of root-cause organization?

Developers rarely know the root cause when they start debugging. Organizing by what they observe—like a slow startup or a visual glitch—matches their natural search patterns and helps them find solutions faster.

What is included in the Quick Diagnosis table?

The table provides a scannable overview of symptoms, likely causes, investigation links, and priority levels (Critical, High, Medium, Low) to help developers triage issues at a glance.

Does this skill provide templates for bug fixes?

Yes, it includes structured templates that cover observable behavior, investigation steps with runnable commands, probable causes, solutions, and prevention strategies.

How does this help with team escalation?

The skill includes a specific process for defining escalation guidance, including time and impact thresholds, so developers know exactly when and how to contact senior engineers or stakeholders.

Documenting Debugging Workflows

Name: Documenting Debugging Workflows
Author: cipherstash

bycipherstash

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Learning & Documentation

Generates symptom-based troubleshooting documentation that helps developers resolve issues by focusing on observable behaviors rather than root causes.

About

This skill provides a structured framework for creating high-quality debugging documentation tailored to how developers actually work. Instead of organizing guides by obscure root causes, it focuses on observable symptoms—the specific errors or behaviors a developer sees. It guides users through creating Quick Diagnosis tables, systematic investigation strategies, and comprehensive solution catalogs. By incorporating runnable commands, probability-ranked causes, and clear escalation paths, it ensures that project troubleshooting guides are actionable, searchable, and effective at reducing resolution time.

Key Features

4 GitHub stars
Quick Diagnosis table templates with priority indicators
Symptom-based documentation architecture
Structured 'What You See' to 'Solution' mapping
Systematic investigation strategy development
Standardized escalation and prevention guidance

Use Cases

Building project-specific troubleshooting and FAQ guides
Creating onboarding documentation for complex system debugging
Standardizing a team's FIX/ section for recurring bugs

About

Key Features

4 GitHub stars
Quick Diagnosis table templates with priority indicators
Symptom-based documentation architecture
Structured 'What You See' to 'Solution' mapping
Systematic investigation strategy development
Standardized escalation and prevention guidance

Use Cases

Building project-specific troubleshooting and FAQ guides
Creating onboarding documentation for complex system debugging
Standardizing a team's FIX/ section for recurring bugs