When should I use the instrumentation feature?

Use it when manual tracing is impossible or when errors are transient and require runtime data capture via console.error to analyze the call chain.

Can this help with flaky tests?

Yes, it specifically includes strategies for identifying tests that leak state or 'pollute' the environment using bisection techniques.

How does this differ from standard debugging?

While standard debugging looks at why a specific line failed, this skill focuses on tracing logic backward to the original source of invalid state or incorrect parameters.

What is defense-in-depth in this context?

It refers to adding validation layers at every step of the call chain so that future bugs are caught earlier and closer to the source rather than failing silently.

Root Cause Tracing

Name: Root Cause Tracing
Author: bacchus-labs

bybacchus-labs

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Security & Testing

Identifies the origin of deep-seated bugs by systematically tracing errors backward through the call stack to the original trigger point.

About

The Root Cause Tracing skill provides a structured methodology for moving beyond symptom-level fixes to find the true source of software errors. It guides Claude to analyze complex call chains, add targeted instrumentation for debugging, and implement defense-in-depth strategies to prevent bug recurrence. This skill is particularly effective for resolving issues like test pollution, silent data corruption, and environment misconfigurations that manifest deep within an application's execution path.

Key Features

Defense-in-depth validation pattern implementation
Test pollution identification via bisection
Systematic backward call stack analysis
3 GitHub stars
Standardized audit trails for debugging sessions
Targeted instrumentation and debug logging

Use Cases

Debugging failures occurring deep in execution paths where the entry point is unclear
Identifying which specific test file is causing global state pollution in a large suite
Resolving environment-specific issues like incorrect directory paths or missing configuration variables

About

Key Features

Defense-in-depth validation pattern implementation
Test pollution identification via bisection
Systematic backward call stack analysis
3 GitHub stars
Standardized audit trails for debugging sessions
Targeted instrumentation and debug logging

Use Cases

Debugging failures occurring deep in execution paths where the entry point is unclear
Identifying which specific test file is causing global state pollution in a large suite
Resolving environment-specific issues like incorrect directory paths or missing configuration variables