Systematic Debugging FAQs

Question 1

What happens if multiple fix attempts fail?

Accepted Answer

If three or more fixes fail, the skill prompts the user to stop patching and instead question the underlying architecture or pattern that may be fundamentally flawed.

Question 2

What is the 'Iron Law' of this skill?

Accepted Answer

The Iron Law states that no fixes should be proposed or implemented until a thorough root cause investigation (Phase 1) is completed.

Question 3

Can I use this for simple bugs or is it only for complex issues?

Accepted Answer

It is designed for any technical issue. While simple bugs move through the process quickly, the systematic approach prevents 'obvious' fixes from introducing new regressions.

Question 4

How does this skill handle multi-component systems?

Accepted Answer

It uses diagnostic instrumentation at component boundaries to log data entry and exit, allowing you to identify the specific layer where data or configuration propagation fails.

Question 5

Does this skill require specific testing frameworks?

Accepted Answer

No, it is framework-agnostic. It encourages creating the simplest possible reproduction, whether that is a unit test or a one-off bash script.

Systematic Debugging

Key Features

Use Cases

Systematic Debugging

Key Features

Use Cases