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Get Started Free →asymmetric-al/systematic-debugging
Use when encountering any bug, test failure, or unexpected behavior, before proposing fixes
Passed 16 of 22 test cases with the skill, and 15 of 22 without it.
2 fixed14 passed either way5 still failing1 broke
Tokens, turns and time describe resource use, not a dollar price.
One of 2 test cases the skill fixed. Same model, same prompt, with and without the skill.
In a pipeline spanning workflow triggers, build scripts, and native signing binaries, code signing fails with exit code 1. A developer proposes adding `--force --deep` flags to the signing command immediately. What diagnostic step must be taken first?
| Checked | Without skill | With skill |
|---|---|---|
| Require diagnostic instrumentation at each component boundary before proposing fixes. | Missed | Passed |
| Reject modifying signing flags without boundary log evidence. | Passed | Passed |
The instructions your model reads when the skill loads.
Random fixes waste time and create new bugs. Quick patches mask underlying issues.
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.
NO FIXES WITHOUT ROOT CAUSE INVESTIGATION FIRST
If you haven't completed Phase 1, you cannot propose fixes.
Use for ANY technical issue:
Use this ESPECIALLY when:
Don't skip when:
test cases passed, vs 15 / 22 without
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