Systematic Debugging Skill
Overview
This skill provides a systematic approach to debugging based on the obra/superpowers framework.
4-Phase Root Cause Analysis
Phase 1: Reproduction
- •Create a minimal reproduction case
- •Verify the issue is consistent
- •Document exact steps to trigger
- •Isolate variables
Phase 2: Hypothesis Generation
- •Brainstorm potential causes
- •Consider recent changes
- •Review error messages and stack traces
- •Check configuration drift
Phase 3: Testing
- •Test each hypothesis systematically
- •Use binary search to isolate the problem
- •Check logs and metrics
- •Validate assumptions
Phase 4: Resolution
- •Implement the fix
- •Verify the fix resolves the issue
- •Check for regressions
- •Document the solution
Defense in Depth
- •Prevention: Static analysis, type checking, tests
- •Detection: Logging, monitoring, alerting
- •Containment: Error boundaries, fallbacks
- •Recovery: Auto-restart, retry logic, circuit breakers
Techniques
Root Cause Tracing
- •Follow the error chain backward
- •Identify the first failure point
- •Distinguish symptoms from causes
Condition-Based Waiting
- •Wait for specific conditions, not arbitrary time
- •Use timeouts to prevent infinite waits
- •Verify state before proceeding
Usage
Apply this skill when:
- •Debugging CI/CD failures
- •Investigating production issues
- •Analyzing test failures
- •Troubleshooting configuration problems
Integration
Works with CMZ self-heal protocol for automated issue detection and resolution.