systematic-debugging
Use when encountering any bug, test failure, or unexpected behavior, before proposing fixes
- Kind
- Skill
- Works with
- Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, Gemini / Antigravity
- Source
- obra/superpowers @ 8ca22dba9a94
- Path
- skills/systematic-debugging/SKILL.md
- License
- MIT
- Jobs
- Debugging
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# Systematic Debugging ## Overview **Core principle:** ALWAYS find root cause before attempting fixes. Symptom fixes are failure. **Violating the letter of this process is violating the spirit of debugging.** ## The Iron Law ``` NO FIXES WITHOUT ROOT CAUSE INVESTIGATION FIRST ``` If you haven't completed Phase 1, you cannot propose fixes. ## When to Use Use for ANY technical issue: - Test failures - Bugs in production - Unexpected behavior - Performance problems - Build failures - Integration issues **Use this ESPECIALLY when:** - Under time pressure (emergencies make guessing tempting) - "Just one quick fix" seems obvious - You've already tried multiple fixes - Previous fix didn't work - You don't fully understand the issue **Don't skip when:** - Issue seems simple (simple bugs have root causes too) - You're in a hurry (rushing guarantees rework) - Manager wants it fixed NOW (systematic is faster than thrashing) ## The Four Phases You MUST complete each phase before proceeding to the next. ### Phase 1: Root Cause Investigation **BEFORE attempting ANY fix:** 1. **Read Error Messages Carefully** - Don't skip past errors or warnings …