gstack-openclaw-investigate

Root cause analysis for unexpected application crashes requires a systematic workflow of error investigation, stack trace analysis, and bug reproduction to identify the true origin. This approach enforces mandatory root cause confirmation prior to applying any code fixes.

To stop recurring bugs during software engineering debugging, you must enforce mandatory root cause investigation and hypothesis testing before making code changes. This eliminates whack-a-mole debugging by ensuring minimal targeted fixes address the underlying issue.

Hypothesis testing for a failed test case follows a 4-phase systematic workflow with built-in guardrails, including a 3-strike rule for failed hypotheses. This ensures you methodically validate your assumptions before proceeding to implementation.

Regression testing is required after error investigation and bug fixing to prevent future recurrence of the identified issue. Generating standardized debug reports alongside regression tests documents the root cause and verifies the minimal targeted fix.

You should flag the blast radius during bug fix implementation whenever large changes are anticipated, helping to avoid risky edits. This built-in guardrail ensures fixes remain minimal and targeted after root cause confirmation is achieved.