# Systematic Debugging

> Use when a bug, flaky test, or runtime failure does not have an obvious root cause. This skill emphasizes reproduction, narrowing the search space, hypothesis testing, and evidence before proposing a fix.

- **Type:** Skill
- **Install:** `agentstack add skill-motao123-dev-workflow-kit-systematic-debugging`
- **Verified:** Yes — security-reviewed for prompt injection and unsafe behavior
- **Seller:** [motao123](https://agentstack.voostack.com/s/motao123)
- **Installs:** 0
- **Category:** [Cloud & Infrastructure](https://agentstack.voostack.com/c/cloud-infrastructure)
- **Latest version:** 0.1.0
- **License:** MIT
- **Upstream author:** [motao123](https://github.com/motao123)
- **Source:** https://github.com/motao123/dev-workflow-kit/tree/main/systematic-debugging
- **Website:** https://motao123.github.io/dev-workflow-kit/

## Install

```sh
agentstack add skill-motao123-dev-workflow-kit-systematic-debugging
```

Requires the [AgentStack CLI](https://agentstack.voostack.com/docs/cli). Works with Claude Code, Cursor, and any MCP-compatible agent.

## About

# Systematic Debugging

Use this skill when the problem is not yet understood well enough to fix safely.

## Trigger Conditions

Use this skill when:
- a bug is intermittent or environment-specific
- a test fails without a clear reason
- symptoms are broad and the root cause is unknown
- multiple possible failure layers exist
- the user wants reproduction and diagnosis before implementation

Do not use this skill for obvious typo-level fixes or when the exact code change is already known.

## Workflow

1. Capture the observed failure and current evidence.
2. Reproduce the issue or narrow why it cannot be reproduced.
3. Reduce the search space by layer, component, or recent change.
4. Form hypotheses and test them one by one.
5. Separate symptoms from likely root cause.
6. Recommend the smallest safe fix path.

## Output

For non-trivial work, provide:
- observed behavior
- reproduction status
- narrowed scope
- hypotheses tested
- likely root cause
- recommended next step

## Coordination

After diagnosis:
- move from diagnosis into the active implementation workflow for the actual fix
- use `fix-ci` if the main failure surface is pipeline-only
- use `browser-verification` when the bug is UI-visible

## Invocation Examples

- "Use systematic-debugging to reproduce and narrow this flaky test failure."
- "Use systematic-debugging before changing code; I want the root cause first."
- "Use systematic-debugging to trace whether this is frontend, API, or database breakage."

## Source & license

This open-source skill is cataloged on AgentStack and links to its original source — we do not rehost the code.

- **Author:** [motao123](https://github.com/motao123)
- **Source:** [motao123/dev-workflow-kit](https://github.com/motao123/dev-workflow-kit)
- **License:** MIT
- **Homepage:** https://motao123.github.io/dev-workflow-kit/

Install and usage instructions live in the source repository linked above.

## Pricing

- **Free** — Free

## Security capabilities

Automated source analysis of v0.1.0 — what this tool can access:

- **Network access:** no
- **Filesystem access:** no
- **Shell / process execution:** no
- **Environment & secrets:** no
- **Dynamic code execution:** no

*"Yes" means the capability is present in the source — more access means more to trust, not that it is unsafe.*


## Versions

- **0.1.0** — security scan: passed — Imported from the upstream source.

## Links

- Listing page: https://agentstack.voostack.com/l/skill-motao123-dev-workflow-kit-systematic-debugging
- Seller: https://agentstack.voostack.com/s/motao123
- Browse the marketplace: https://agentstack.voostack.com/browse

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Listed on AgentStack — the marketplace for AI agent skills and MCP servers. Every listing is security-reviewed. Creators keep 70%.