Debug
Systematic debugging workflow: reproduce, isolate, hypothesize, verify, and fix.
Input Required
Describe the bug:
- •What is the expected behavior?
- •What is the actual behavior?
- •Steps to reproduce (if known)
- •Any error messages or logs
- •When did it start happening? (recent change?)
Debugging Process
Step 1: Reproduce
- • Confirm I can reproduce the issue
- • Identify exact steps to trigger
- • Note: Does it happen every time or intermittently?
Step 2: Isolate
- • Identify the smallest code path that exhibits the bug
- • Rule out environmental factors (simulator vs device, debug vs release)
- • Check recent changes in the affected area (
git log -p <file>)
Step 3: Gather Evidence
- • Read relevant code sections
- • Check logs/console output
- • Review crash reports if applicable
- • Search for similar patterns elsewhere in codebase
Step 4: Hypothesize
List possible causes ranked by likelihood:
| # | Hypothesis | Likelihood | How to Verify |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | High/Med/Low | ||
| 2 | High/Med/Low | ||
| 3 | High/Med/Low |
Step 5: Verify
Test each hypothesis starting with most likely:
- • Hypothesis 1: Result ___
- • Hypothesis 2: Result ___
- • Hypothesis 3: Result ___
Step 6: Root Cause
Confirmed Root Cause: [explanation]
Why this happened: [underlying reason - missing validation, race condition, etc.]
Step 7: Fix
Proposed Fix: [description]
Files to Change:
| File | Change Required |
|---|---|
Risk Assessment:
- •Blast radius: X files
- •Regression risk: Low/Medium/High
- •Test coverage: Existing tests? New tests needed?
Step 8: Verify Fix
- • Bug no longer reproduces
- • Existing tests pass
- • New test added to prevent regression
- • No new issues introduced
Step 9: Similar Bugs
After fixing, use /scan-similar-bugs to find other occurrences of this pattern.