debug-systematically
Use this skill when diagnosing a bug, unexpected behavior, test failure, or any situation where code does not behave as expected. Follow a structured debugging process instead of randomly changing code.
Source facts
- Repository
- aiming-lab/MetaClaw
- Last source activity
- March 10, 2026 at 18:04
- Detected SKILL.md language
- English
- Stars
- 3,456
- Forks
- 450
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- debug-systematically
- description
- Use this skill when diagnosing a bug, unexpected behavior, test failure, or any situation where code does not behave as expected. Follow a structured debugging process instead of randomly changing code.
- category
- coding
# Debug Systematically
**Process:**
1. **Reproduce** the bug with the smallest possible input.
2. **Isolate** — narrow down which component/function causes it.
3. **Hypothesize** — form a specific, falsifiable hypothesis.
4. **Test** — verify or disprove the hypothesis with a minimal experiment.
5. **Fix** — address the root cause, not just the symptom.
6. **Verify** — re-run the failing test and related tests.
**Useful tools:** `print`/`logging`, `pdb`/`ipdb`, unit tests, `git bisect`.
**Anti-patterns:**
- Changing multiple things at once and not knowing what fixed it.
- Ignoring related test failures.
- Commenting out code instead of understanding it.
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