stacks-investigate

Root-cause debugging for Stacks issues uses a four-phase process: Investigate, Pattern Analysis, Hypothesis Testing, and Implementation. It guides you through collecting evidence from logs, git history, and tests to ensure fixes target root causes rather than symptoms.

Troubleshoot test failures by correlating evidence from logs, git history, and configuration during the investigation phase. Analyze patterns, form hypotheses based on the collected data, and verify fixes against the original test failures to prevent regression.

Avoiding fixes before identifying the root cause prevents patching symptoms, which often leads to recurring issues and regressions. A no-fix-before-root-cause policy ensures solutions are evidence-based, addressing the actual underlying problem across code and configuration.

The best way to escalate unresolved bugs is to follow structured escalation guidance after completing information gathering and pattern analysis. Escalate with correlated evidence from logs, tests, and git history to provide investigators a thorough problem understanding.

Yes, you can use this debugging approach for both code and configuration failures. The four-phase investigation methodology applies across code, configuration, and test failures to comprehensively identify root causes and implement safe, verifiable fixes.

You should not use a hypothesis-driven debugging workflow for trivial, immediately obvious syntax errors where the root cause is already visually evident. It is designed for complex issues requiring systematic pattern analysis and evidence correlation.