investigate

To find the root cause of an intermittent bug, you need a structured investigation that collects evidence, reads code paths, and forms testable hypotheses before proposing a verified, minimal fix plan.

The best way to debug vague error symptoms is following a four-phase workflow: investigate, analyze, hypothesize, and implement, which enforces collecting symptoms and tracing code paths to identify the root cause.

You structure a root-cause analysis by beginning with a clarifying question, collecting symptoms, tracing the code path, and identifying the root cause before proposing any fixes.

No, you cannot propose a code fix before fully diagnosing a bug because the structured investigation enforces an Iron Law: no fixes without root cause identification.

You should use a structured debugging workflow during debugging sessions where symptoms are vague, errors are intermittent, or a root-cause analysis is required before implementing fixes.