name: systematic-debugging
description: Use when encountering any bug, test failure, or unexpected behavior, before proposing fixes. Requires root cause investigation first.
graph:
domains: [domain:software-engineering]
skillAreas: [skill-area:agentic-loops, skill-area:orchestration-loop]
workflows: [workflow:feature-development]
topics: [topic:developer-experience]
roles: [role:tech-lead, role:backend-engineer]
2. Pattern Analysis - Find working examples, compare against references, identify differences
3. Hypothesis and Testing - Form single hypothesis, test minimally, one variable at a time
4. Implementation - Create failing test case, implement single fix, verify
When 3+ Fixes Fail
Stop and question the architecture. Pattern of repeated failures indicates architectural problems, not implementation bugs.
Red Flags (STOP and Follow Process)
- "Quick fix for now"
- "Just try changing X"
- Proposing solutions before tracing data flow
- "One more fix attempt" (when already tried 2+)
Agents Used
- Process agents defined in
systematic-debugging.js
Tool Use
Invoke via babysitter process: methodologies/superpowers/systematic-debugging
