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systematic-debugging

Diagnose software defects through a four-phase reproduce, isolate, understand, and fix workflow.

Updated Mar 17, 2026
Search Tags:#debugging#troubleshooting#root cause analysis#bug fixing#regression testing#5 whys
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/beliciobcardoso/mcp-postgres --skill systematic-debugging-beliciobcardoso
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent▼
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: systematic-debugging
Source: https://github.com/beliciobcardoso/mcp-postgres/tree/main/.agent/skills/systematic-debugging
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/beliciobcardoso/mcp-postgres --skill systematic-debugging-beliciobcardoso

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

What problem does it solve? Debugging often devolves into random guessing and blind code changes that waste time and introduce new bugs. This Skill enforces a disciplined, evidence-based methodology so issues are reproduced, isolated, and fixed at the root cause rather than patched at the symptom level. ## Core Features & Use Cases - 4-Phase Process: Structured templates for Reproduce, Isolate, Understand (5 Whys root cause analysis), and Fix & Verify. - Debugging Checklists: Before, during, and after checklists covering reproduction rate, log inspection, and regression test creation. - Anti-Pattern Warnings: Explicitly flags common mistakes like random changes, ignoring evidence, and fixing without reproducing. - Use Case: When a production API intermittently returns 500 errors, use this Skill to document reproduction steps, narrow the cause via recent git changes and logs, run a 5 Whys analysis, and verify the fix with a regression test. ## Quick Start Use the systematic-debugging skill to investigate why the login endpoint intermittently fails and guide me through reproducing and isolating the root cause.

Frequently Asked Questions about systematic-debugging

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

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

Start by documenting the reproduction rate (always, often, sometimes, rare) and exact reproduction steps before changing any code. Then isolate variables by checking recent changes, environments, and minimal reproduction cases to narrow the trigger conditions.

What is the 5 Whys root cause analysis technique?▼

The 5 Whys technique repeatedly asks why a problem occurred, drilling from the first observation down through deeper causes until reaching the true root cause. It prevents stopping at surface symptoms and ensures fixes address the underlying issue.

How do I verify a bug fix actually worked?▼

Verify a fix by confirming the bug no longer reproduces, related functionality still works, and no new issues were introduced. Add a regression test to prevent the bug from returning in future changes.

What are common debugging mistakes to avoid?▼

Common anti-patterns include making random changes hoping something works, ignoring evidence that contradicts assumptions, fixing without reproducing first, and stopping at symptoms instead of finding the root cause.

Which commands help investigate recent code changes during debugging?▼

Use git log --oneline -20 and git diff HEAD~5 to review recent changes, grep -r to search for error patterns across the codebase, and log tools like pm2 logs to inspect runtime errors.

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