investigate

Investigate bugs and code areas with evidence-graded findings recorded in a structured case file.

Updated Sep 6, 2026
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/JHAMILCALI/Stellar-Build --skill investigate-jhamilcali
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent▼
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: investigate
Source: https://github.com/JHAMILCALI/Stellar-Build/tree/main/.claude/skills/investigate
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/JHAMILCALI/Stellar-Build --skill investigate-jhamilcali

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

💡 This Skill includes references (resource) components.

What problem does it solve? Debugging and incident analysis often rely on guesswork, lost context, and unverified assumptions. This Skill enforces disciplined forensic investigation: every finding is graded as Confirmed, Deduced, or Hypothesized, and all progress is persisted in a structured case file that another engineer can pick up cold. ## Core Features & Use Cases - Evidence-graded case files: Findings, deductions, hypotheses, timelines, and missing-evidence gaps are recorded in a Markdown case file with path:line citations, so nothing is lost across interruptions. - Symptom-driven and exploration modes: Trace a bug backward from its symptom to root cause, or build a mental model of an unfamiliar code area with no symptom at all. - Premise challenging and refutation passes: The user's description is treated as a hypothesis to verify, and each near-confirmed theory is actively tested against refuting evidence. - Use Case: Given a ticket ID or a stack trace, the Skill opens a case file, maps the evidence perimeter across logs, version control, and source code, reasons about causality, and delivers a final conclusion with a confidence level and fix direction. ## Quick Start Ask the AI to investigate the error in the attached log file and produce an evidence-graded case file identifying the root cause.

Frequently Asked Questions about investigate

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

FAQPage Schema
How do I investigate a bug root cause systematically?▼

Start from one confirmed piece of evidence such as an error message or stack frame, then trace causality backward to the producing conditions. Form hypotheses, define what would confirm or refute each, and record everything in a case file with path:line citations.

How to explore unfamiliar code before making changes?▼

Use exploration mode: map inputs, outputs, and dependencies, scan for frequent terms, and filter control flow through branches, loops, and error handling. The result is an area model with a verification plan instead of a root-cause diagnosis.

What inputs does an investigation workflow accept?▼

It accepts a ticket ID, log file path, diagnostic archive, error message, code area name, free-text problem description, or a path to an existing case file. Providing an existing case file resumes the prior investigation where it left off.

Can an investigation resume after an interruption?▼

Yes. All state lives in a persistent Markdown case file initialized at the start. Resuming surfaces open hypotheses, backlog items, missing evidence, and the last conclusion, and new work is appended under a dated Follow-up block.

What are the limitations of evidence-based investigation?▼

When no confirmed evidence is reachable, the workflow enters evidence-light mode and can only produce a prioritized data-collection backlog. It also stops at diagnosis; implementing fixes is explicitly out of scope.