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principle-fix-root-causes

Guides debugging by tracing symptoms to root causes instead of applying symptom-level workarounds.

Updated Sep 2, 2026
Search Tags:#debugging#troubleshooting#root cause analysis#bug fixing#state validation#crash diagnosis
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/jnyross/pstack-muse --skill principle-fix-root-causes-jnyross
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent▼
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: principle-fix-root-causes
Source: https://github.com/jnyross/pstack-muse/tree/main/skills/principle-fix-root-causes
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/jnyross/pstack-muse --skill principle-fix-root-causes-jnyross

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

What problem does it solve? Debugging often produces quick patches that silence symptoms while the real bug survives, accumulating fragile workarounds across the codebase. This Skill enforces a disciplined root-cause debugging methodology so fixes address the actual defect. ## Core Features & Use Cases - Root-Cause Tracing: Reproduce the bug first, then ask "why" repeatedly until the underlying cause is found. - Anti-Pattern Detection: Resist nil-check guards and symptom fixes, and grep for the same pattern to fix all instances, not just one. - Restart Bug Diagnosis: Suspect stale persistent state (config files, caches, lock files) before code when failures appear after restarts. - Use Case: A service crashes intermittently after deploys. Instead of adding a nil check, reproduce the crash, trace it to a corrupted cache file, and add state validation as the real fix. ## Quick Start Ask the AI to debug a failing test or crash by tracing it to the root cause rather than adding a guard or workaround.

Frequently Asked Questions about principle-fix-root-causes

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

FAQPage Schema
How do I find the root cause of a bug instead of patching symptoms?▼

Reproduce the bug first, since an unreproducible bug cannot be verified as fixed. Then ask "why" repeatedly until you reach the underlying cause, and fix it there rather than adding guards that silence the symptom.

Why is adding a nil check to stop a crash considered a bad fix?▼

A nil check that silences a crash is a symptom fix: the real defect remains and the workaround makes the system harder to reason about. Trace why the value is nil and fix that origin instead.

Why does my code fail after a restart but work before?▼

Code does not change between runs, but state does. Suspect stale persistent state such as config files, caches, lock files, or serialized state; if clearing a state file restores behavior, prioritize state validation as the fix.

How do I make sure a bug fix covers all occurrences?▼

Check for the pattern, not just the instance. Grep the codebase for the same defective pattern and fix every occurrence so the bug cannot resurface elsewhere.

What should I do when I am stuck debugging a problem?▼

Instrument the code instead of guessing. Add logging and read the actual error output so your next hypothesis is grounded in observed behavior rather than speculation.

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