debug-investigator

Guide hypothesis-driven debugging with ranked hypotheses and bisection strategies.

310|45|Updated Feb 22, 2026

Search Tags:#debugging #instrumentation #root-cause #bisect #reproduction #hypotheses

Ready to run

npx skills add https://github.com/Mathews-Tom/praxis-skills --skill debug-investigator-mathews-tom

💬 Prompt for ChatGPT / Claude Chat▼

Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: debug-investigator
Source: https://github.com/Mathews-Tom/praxis-skills/tree/main/skills/debug-investigator
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/Mathews-Tom/praxis-skills --skill debug-investigator-mathews-tom

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

💡 This Skill includes references (resource) components.

What problem does it solve?

Hypothesis-driven debugging methodology replaces ad-hoc exploration by structuring symptoms, evidence, and testing to uncover root causes efficiently.

Core Features & Use Cases

Ranked hypotheses with confirming/refuting tests
Git bisect strategy for identifying the first bad commit
Instrumentation point planning to observe behavior
Minimal reproduction design to stabilize failures
Comprehensive evidence capture and documentation

Quick Start

Describe the bug and triggering context; the skill will generate a structured investigation plan with hypotheses, tests, and a bisect strategy.

Frequently Asked Questions about debug-investigator

High-intent search queries and answers about installing and using this skill.

FAQPage Schema

How do I find the root cause of an intermittent failure with an unclear stack trace?▼

A git bisect strategy identifies the first bad commit by systematically narrowing the commit history, applying hypothesis-driven verification to pinpoint exactly when a performance regression or failure was introduced.

What is the best way to create a minimal reproduction for an elusive bug?▼

Creating a minimal reproduction stabilizes the failure condition, allowing you to design targeted instrumentation points that observe behavior and capture comprehensive evidence for an auditable debugging workflow.

How do I plan instrumentation points to observe erratic software behavior?▼

Hypothesis-driven debugging suits performance regressions, intermittent failures, and unclear stack traces, replacing ad-hoc exploration by structuring symptoms, testing, and evidence capture to uncover root causes efficiently.

When should I use a systematic debugging investigation instead of ad-hoc exploration?▼