Pivoting

Strike 2 of the unstuck protocol. The diagnosis fix didn't work — try a fundamentally different approach.

Rule

NEVER repeat what Strike 1 already tried. The diagnosis failed — doing it again won't help.

Pre-Check: Knowledge Pack

If a knowledge pack was loaded:

1. •Check "Gotchas" — is this a known framework trap that wastes debugging time?
2. •Check "Known Patterns" — has this been seen before with a known resolution?
3. •If a gotcha or pattern matches, apply it directly

Step 1: Find Working Examples

Search the codebase for similar code that works:

# Find similar patterns in the codebase
grep -rn "{RELEVANT_PATTERN}" --include="*.{EXT}" | head -20

• •Find a working instance of the same operation (API call, DB query, auth flow, etc.)
• •If no working example exists in the codebase, search project dependencies or docs

Step 2: Compare Working vs Broken

List every difference between the working code and the broken code:

| Aspect | Working | Broken |
|--------|---------|--------|
| ... | ... | ... |

Focus on: imports, configuration, argument order, types, async/sync mismatch, middleware/decorator order.

Step 3: Challenge Assumptions

Question what Strike 1 took for granted:

• •Is the environment actually configured correctly? (check env vars, config files)
• •Is the dependency version compatible? (check lock file, not just manifest)
• •Is the data actually in the expected format? (log raw values)
• •Is the code actually being executed? (add a log/print at the entry point)

Step 4: Try a Different Method

Pick ONE alternative approach:

Implement the alternative. Test with the same verification as Strike 1.

Step 5: Verify

• •Does the alternative approach pass the original test case?
• •Does it break any existing functionality?
• •Is it a viable long-term solution (not just a hack)?

Outcome

Report to the orchestrator:

Pivot:
  Approach: {WHAT_WAS_TRIED}
  Differs from Strike 1: {HOW}
  Result: { resolved | not resolved }
  Evidence: {WHAT_WAS_LEARNED}

If resolved, include the alternative that worked and why. If not resolved, include what was ruled out — this narrows the search for Strike 3.