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name: debugging-process description: Provides systematic debugging methodology for thorough root cause analysis with evidence-based investigation. Use this skill when investigating code, analyzing bugs, tracing errors, or understanding unexpected behavior.

Debugging Process

Instructions

Core Principles

1. Real-Time Reporting: Share findings immediately with file:line references. Report "Checking [X] at [location]" → "Found [Y], suggests [Z]"
2. Root Cause First: Use 5 Whys technique. Fix the source, not symptoms.

Investigation Pattern

1. "Investigating [X] by checking [Y]"
2. "Found [this] at [location:line]. Suggests [interpretation]"
3. "Based on this, checking [next location]"
4. Root cause identified → Apply fix

Anti-Patterns

• Adding try-catch without understanding why it throws
• Null-checks everywhere instead of understanding cause
• Guessing solutions (e.g., setTimeout hoping it helps)
• Presenting only conclusions without evidence

DO / DON'T

DO: Use file:line references, share evidence progressively, trace to origin, explain causal chain

DON'T: Rush to fix, hide investigation process, fix symptoms not causes

Examples

5 Whys Example

Problem: App crashes on submit
Why? → Exception in validation
Why? → Receives null value
Why? → Form data not initialized
Why? → Component mounts before API response
Why? → Race condition
→ Fix: Correct initialization order