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DevayoshaUS
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systematic-debugging

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

41|Updated Apr 14, 2026
Search Tags:#git#debugging#troubleshooting#root cause analysis#bug fixing#regression testing#5 whys
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/DevayoshaUS/Women-scholarship --skill systematic-debugging-devayoshaus
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent▼
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: systematic-debugging
Source: https://github.com/DevayoshaUS/Women-scholarship/tree/main/hackathon-main%20%281%29/hackathon-main/.agent/skills/systematic-debugging
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/DevayoshaUS/Women-scholarship --skill systematic-debugging-devayoshaus

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

What problem does it solve? Debugging often devolves into random guessing, premature fixes, and treating symptoms instead of root causes. This Skill enforces a disciplined, evidence-based debugging methodology so issues are reproduced, isolated, and truly understood before any fix is applied. ## Core Features & Use Cases - 4-Phase Debugging Process: Structured templates for Reproduce, Isolate, Understand (5 Whys root cause analysis), and Fix & Verify phases. - Debugging Checklists: Before, during, and after checklists covering reproduction, log inspection, breakpoints, and regression tests. - Common Commands & Anti-Patterns: Ready-to-use git, grep, and pm2 log commands plus a list of debugging anti-patterns to avoid. - Use Case: When a production API intermittently returns 500 errors, use this Skill to first build a reliable reproduction case, isolate the triggering change via git history, run a 5 Whys analysis to find the root cause, and verify the fix with a regression test. ## Quick Start Use the systematic-debugging skill to help me diagnose why my application crashes on startup, following the four-phase process.

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?▼

Intermittent bugs require establishing a reproduction rate first, classifying it as always, often, sometimes, or rare. Then isolate variables like environment, recent changes, and minimal reproduction code before attempting any fix.

What is the 5 Whys root cause analysis technique?▼

The 5 Whys technique repeatedly asks why a problem occurred, drilling from surface symptoms down to the underlying root cause across five iterations. It prevents stopping at symptoms and ensures fixes address the actual source of the defect.

How do I find what change introduced a bug?▼

Use git log --oneline -20 to review recent commits and git diff HEAD~5 to inspect recent changes. Combining this with isolation questions about when the issue started helps pinpoint the triggering change quickly.

Why should I reproduce a bug before fixing it?▼

Fixing without reproduction means guessing blindly, which often masks symptoms or introduces new issues. A reliable reproduction case lets you verify the fix actually works and confirm the root cause was correctly identified.

What are common debugging anti-patterns to avoid?▼

Common anti-patterns include making random changes hoping something works, ignoring evidence, assuming causes without proof, fixing before reproducing, and stopping at symptoms instead of finding the root cause.

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