skills.rest
DxTa
DxTaCOMMUNITY
Explore all skills by this author →
WebsiteGitHub

Root Cause Tracing

Trace software bugs backward through call stacks to identify original triggers.

Updated Aug 23, 2026
Search Tags:#testing#debugging#error handling#root cause analysis#call stack#tracing
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/DxTa/dotfiles --skill root-cause-tracing-dxta
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent▼
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: Root Cause Tracing
Source: https://github.com/DxTa/dotfiles/tree/main/opencode/skills/core/root-cause-tracing
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/DxTa/dotfiles --skill root-cause-tracing-dxta

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

💡 This Skill includes scripts (resource) and references (resource) components.

What problem does it solve?

This Skill helps developers systematically identify the original trigger of bugs that manifest deep within a program's execution, preventing the common mistake of only fixing symptoms.

Core Features & Use Cases

  • Backward Tracing: Follows the call stack upwards from an error to pinpoint the initial cause.
  • Instrumentation Guidance: Provides strategies for adding logging and stack traces when manual tracing is difficult.
  • Bisection Script: Includes a utility script (find-polluter.sh) to isolate problematic tests in a suite.
  • Use Case: When a git init command fails deep inside a complex test setup, this Skill guides you to trace back through the test execution, identify that a temporary directory variable was accessed before initialization, and fix the root cause in the test setup itself.

Quick Start

Use the root cause tracing skill to find which test creates a '.git' directory when running tests matching 'src/**/*.test.ts'.

Frequently Asked Questions about Root Cause Tracing

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

FAQPage Schema
How do I trace a software bug back to its original trigger using the call stack?▼

To trace a software bug using the call stack, systematically trace backwards from the error manifestation upwards through the execution flow to pinpoint the initial trigger. This prevents the common mistake of only fixing symptoms deep within the program.

What is the best way to find which test is polluting my test suite?▼

The best way to find a polluting test is using a bisection script. The included `find-polluter.sh` utility isolates problematic tests by running subsets of the suite to identify which specific test creates invalid states for others.

How do I add stack traces and logging when manual debugging is difficult?▼

To add stack traces when manual debugging is difficult, use instrumentation guidance strategies. This approach provides specific methods for injecting logging and stack traces into the code to track complex execution flows and identify original triggers.

Why does fixing a symptom fail to resolve deep execution errors?▼

Fixing a symptom fails to resolve deep execution errors because the original trigger remains active. Root cause tracing follows the call stack upwards to identify and fix the initial cause, preventing the bug from manifesting elsewhere in the program.

Related Skills

Explore More Software Engineering Skills→
koralliskorallis
90

root-cause-tracing

Traces bugs backward through call stacks and execution flows to pinpoint their source.

Community
Advanced
shekerkammashekerkamma

gstack-openclaw-investigate

Investigates root causes of software bugs before allowing code modifications.

Community
Advanced
flosrnflosrn

Root Cause Tracing

Trace bugs backward through call stacks to identify original trigger points.

Community
Advanced
GamezarGamezar

kaizen-root-cause-tracing

Trace bugs backward through call stacks to identify original triggers.

Community
Intermediate