By name: obra-superpowers-systematic-debugging description: Systematic debugging approach with 4-phase root cause analysis. Use when troubleshooting complex bugs, identifying root causes, or following structured debugging methodology.
Systematic Debugging Skill
Overview
This skill provides a systematic approach to debugging based on the obra/superpowers framework.
4-Phase Root Cause Analysis
Phase 1: Reproduction
- Create a minimal reproduction case
- Verify the issue is consistent
- Document exact steps to trigger
- Isolate variables
Phase 2: Hypothesis Generation
- Brainstorm potential causes
- Consider recent changes
- Review error messages and stack traces
- Check configuration drift
Phase 3: Testing
- Test each hypothesis systematically
- Use binary search to isolate the problem
- Check logs and metrics
- Validate assumptions
Phase 4: Resolution
- Implement the fix
- Verify the fix resolves the issue
- Check for regressions
- Document the solution
Defense in Depth
- Prevention: Static analysis, type checking, tests
- Detection: Logging, monitoring, alerting
- Containment: Error boundaries, fallbacks
- Recovery: Auto-restart, retry logic, circuit breakers
Techniques
Root Cause Tracing
- Follow the error chain backward
- Identify the first failure point
- Distinguish symptoms from causes
Condition-Based Waiting
- Wait for specific conditions, not arbitrary time
- Use timeouts to prevent infinite waits
- Verify state before proceeding
Usage
Apply this skill when:
- Debugging CI/CD failures
- Investigating production issues
- Analyzing test failures
- Troubleshooting configuration problems
Integration
Works with CMZ self-heal protocol for automated issue detection and resolution.