When should I use the Systematic Debugging skill?

Use it for any technical issue, including test failures, production bugs, or performance problems, especially when under time pressure or after multiple failed fix attempts.

How does it handle multi-component systems?

It instructs you to add diagnostic instrumentation at every component boundary to log data entry/exit, allowing you to identify exactly where the failure occurs before investigating that specific component.

What is the 'Iron Law' of this skill?

The Iron Law states: 'NO FIXES WITHOUT ROOT CAUSE INVESTIGATION FIRST.' You are prohibited from proposing solutions until Phase 1 investigation is complete.

What happens if three or more fix attempts fail?

The skill triggers an architectural review, requiring you to stop fixing symptoms and instead question if the underlying pattern or design is fundamentally sound.

Systematic Debugging

Name: Systematic Debugging
Author: kgadek

bykgadek

0•

Security & Testing

Enforces a rigorous, four-phase root cause analysis process to prevent guesswork and ensure permanent software fixes.

The Systematic Debugging skill transforms the debugging workflow by mandating a strict 'root cause first' methodology. It guides developers through four distinct phases—investigation, pattern analysis, hypothesis testing, and implementation—to ensure that patches don't just mask symptoms but solve the underlying problem. This skill is particularly effective for complex, multi-component systems where data flow is difficult to trace, providing structured guidance on diagnostic instrumentation and architectural evaluation when standard fixes fail.

Key Features

01Failing test case generation requirements for verification

02Architectural sanity checks after repeated fix failures

03Mandatory four-phase debugging workflow enforcement

040 GitHub stars

05Backward data flow tracing for deep call stack errors

06Multi-component diagnostic instrumentation and logging guidance

Use Cases

01Onboarding developers to a disciplined, scientific approach to troubleshooting

02Debugging intermittent failures in complex CI/CD pipelines or microservices

03Identifying root causes for production bugs that have resisted initial fix attempts

What are Skills?·How to Install

Install with 🐟 Skill.Fish

npx skillfish add kgadek/kgadek-claude-plugin systematic-debugging

For use in Claude.ai and ChatGPT

Download Skill