diagnosing-bugs

Diagnose hard bugs and performance regressions through a structured feedback-loop workflow.

1|Updated Oct 29, 2025
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/jwh3times/holland-vip --skill diagnosing-bugs-jwh3times
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent▼
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: diagnosing-bugs
Source: https://github.com/jwh3times/holland-vip/tree/main/.agents/skills/diagnosing-bugs
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/jwh3times/holland-vip --skill diagnosing-bugs-jwh3times

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

💡 This Skill includes scripts (resource) components.

What problem does it solve? Hard bugs and performance regressions resist casual code reading; without a reproducible signal, debugging devolves into guessing. This Skill enforces a disciplined six-phase diagnosis loop that builds a tight, deterministic reproduction before any hypothesis is tested. ## Core Features & Use Cases - Feedback Loop Construction: Builds a red-capable, deterministic, fast reproduction command using failing tests, curl scripts, CLI fixtures, Playwright browser scripts, trace replays, fuzz loops, or git bisect harnesses. - Structured Hypothesis Testing: Generates 3-5 ranked falsifiable hypotheses, then instruments code with tagged debug logs or profilers, changing one variable at a time. - Regression Lockdown: Writes the regression test before the fix at a correct seam, then runs cleanup and a post-mortem that identifies architectural prevention. - Use Case: A user reports the export button intermittently throws in production. The Skill guides building a Playwright loop that reproduces the failure at a high rate, minimises the scenario, tests ranked hypotheses, and lands a fix with a regression test. ## Quick Start Ask the agent to diagnose the bug where the export button throws an error and have it build a reproduction loop first.

Frequently Asked Questions about diagnosing-bugs

High-intent search queries and answers about installing and using this skill.

FAQPage Schema
How do I debug a bug that only happens sometimes?▼

For non-deterministic bugs, raise the reproduction rate instead of seeking a clean repro: loop the trigger 100 times, parallelise, add stress, and narrow timing windows. A 50%-flake bug is debuggable; keep increasing the rate until the loop reliably goes red.

How to reproduce a bug before fixing it?▼

Build a feedback loop first: a failing test, curl script, CLI fixture diff, Playwright browser script, or replayed network trace that asserts the user's exact symptom. The loop must be deterministic, fast, and able to go red on this specific bug before any hypothesis work begins.

What should I do when I cannot reproduce a bug locally?▼

Stop and say so explicitly rather than guessing. Ask the user for environment access, a redacted captured artifact such as a HAR file or log dump, or permission to add temporary production instrumentation, and never proceed to hypothesising without a loop.

Why should the regression test be written before the fix?▼

Writing the test first proves it actually catches the bug by watching it fail, then pass after the fix. If no correct test seam exists where the real bug pattern occurs, that absence is itself a finding about the codebase architecture.

How do I debug a performance regression?▼

For performance regressions, avoid log-based probing. Establish a baseline measurement with a timing harness, performance.now(), a profiler, or query plans, then bisect between known states. Measure first, fix second.