| name | nginx-c-module-debug |
| description | nginx C module debugging guidelines based on the official nginx development guide. This skill should be used when debugging nginx C module crashes, memory bugs, request flow issues, or production problems. Triggers on tasks involving segfault analysis, coredump debugging, GDB inspection, memory leak detection, request phase tracing, AddressSanitizer setup, or nginx module troubleshooting. |
nginx.org C Module Debugging Best Practices
Comprehensive debugging guide for nginx C modules, derived from the official nginx development documentation and production debugging experience. Contains 45 rules across 8 categories, prioritized by impact to guide systematic diagnosis of crashes, memory bugs, and behavioral issues in nginx modules.
Companion skills: This skill complements nginx-c-modules (correctness) and nginx-c-module-perf-reliability (performance). This skill covers debugging and diagnosis.
When to Apply
Reference these guidelines when:
- Diagnosing nginx worker crashes (segfaults, SIGABRT, SIGSEGV)
- Finding memory bugs (use-after-free, leaks, pool corruption, buffer overruns)
- Setting up GDB and core dump analysis for nginx
- Tracing request flow through phases, subrequests, and filter chains
- Instrumenting nginx modules with debug logging and dynamic tracing tools
Rule Categories by Priority
| Priority | Category | Impact | Prefix |
|---|
| 1 | Crash Diagnosis & Signals | CRITICAL | crash- |
| 2 | Memory Bug Detection | CRITICAL | memdbg- |