| name | Code First Responder |
| slug | code_first_responder |
| summary | Deterministic triage flow for failing tests or regressions. |
| description | Guides the agent through a short, repeatable debug loop: capture the failure, isolate the scope, draft a patch plan, and log the decision so the next agent can continue without rereading the entire repo. |
| version | 0.1.0 |
| author | ff-terminal-core |
| priority | default |
| tags | ["code","debugging","testing"] |
| triggers | ["bug","failing test","stack trace","regression","error","traceback"] |
| assets | ["templates/debug_report_template.md","templates/fix_checklist.md"] |
| recommended_tools | ["run_command","read_file","search_code","write_file"] |
Code First Responder
When to load this skill
- Incoming task references failing tests, stack traces, or recent merges.
- User explicitly wants a "quick triage", "first look", or "rough fix plan".
- Another skill (e.g., Rapid Research) flagged new code issues that need confirmation.
Guardrails
- Never edit files before the failure is reproduced locally.
- Capture the exact command + exit code inside the debug report template.
- Prefer minimal diffs; defer major refactors to a follow-up task.
- If the failure cannot be reproduced quickly, escalate with the captured evidence and leave the repo untouched.
Five-step micro-playbook
- Snapshot context
- Record branch, latest commit hash, and dirty files.
- Paste the failure summary into
templates/debug_report_template.md.
- Reproduce fast
- Run the narrowest test or script possible.
- Store the exact CLI command and snippet of output.
- Isolate scope
- Identify the component or file set causing the issue.
- Outline suspected root causes without editing yet.
- Propose fix plan
- List concrete actions (edit file X, update test Y, run command Z).
- Mark each action as
must, optional, or blocked.
- Optional patch
- If the fix is obvious (<30 lines), apply it and run validation.
- Update the debug report with the diff summary and test status.
Output checklist
Refer to templates/fix_checklist.md and ensure every box is addressed:
- Failure reproduced?
- Minimal scope understood?
- Plan or patch documented?
- Validation command + result captured?
- Handover note written?
Response snippet to send back to the user
## Debug Status
- Branch/commit: ...
- Failure reproduced: yes/no (command)
- Root-cause hypothesis: ...
- Next actions: ...
## Attachments
- debug_report_template.md (updated)
Companion tools
run_command for fast tests.read_file + search_code for targeted inspection.write_file for updating the templates and final report.
