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Skill · Debugging

Phase gated debugging

Use when debugging any bug. Enforces a 5-phase protocol where code edits are blocked until root cause is confirmed. Prevents premature fix attempts.

Agentic Awesome SkillsAdded Sep 5, 2026
IT & Software Development
Use it in my AI

How to use it

  1. Start your plan and connect your AI once
  2. Add the skill to your AI, one time only: press Copy skill and paste it into your AI's instructions: a project in ChatGPT, Claude or Grok, a Gem in Gemini, an agent in Microsoft 365 Copilot, or a rule in Cursor. It stays there for every new chat. In Kimi, paste it at the start of a new chat.
  3. Ask for the task in your own words, or say it directly:
Use the Phase gated debugging skill to help me with this.
SKILL.md

Phase-Gated Debugging

Overview

AI coding agents see an error and immediately edit code. They guess at fixes, get it wrong, and spiral. This skill enforces a strict 5-phase protocol where you CANNOT edit source code until the root cause is identified and confirmed.

Based on claude-debug (full plugin with PreToolUse hook enforcement).

When to Use

Use this skill when:

  • a bug keeps getting "fixed" without resolving the underlying issue
  • you need to slow an agent down and force disciplined debugging before code edits
  • the failure is intermittent, a regression, performance-related, or otherwise hard to isolate
  • you want an explicit user confirmation checkpoint before any fix is applied

The Protocol

Phase 1: REPRODUCE

Run the failing command/test. Capture the exact error. Run 2-3 times for consistency.

  • Do NOT read source code
  • Do NOT hypothesize
  • Do NOT edit any files

Phase 2: ISOLATE

Read code. Add diagnostic logging marked // DEBUG. Re-run with diagnostics. Binary search to narrow down.

  • Only // DEBUG marked logging is allowed
  • Do NOT fix the bug even if you see it

Phase 3: ROOT CAUSE

Analyze WHY at the isolated location. Use "5 Whys" technique. Remove debug logging.

State: "This is my root cause analysis: [explanation]. Do you agree, or should I investigate further?"

WAIT for user confirmation. Do NOT proceed without it.

Phase 4: FIX

Remove all // DEBUG lines. Apply minimal change addressing confirmed root cause.

  • Only edit files related to root cause
  • Do NOT refactor unrelated code

Phase 5: VERIFY

Run original failing test — must pass. Run related tests. For intermittent bugs, run 5+ times. If verification fails: root cause was wrong, go back to Phase 2.

Bug-Type Strategies

TypeTechnique
Crash/PanicStack trace backward — trace the bad value to its source
Wrong OutputBinary search — log midpoint, halve search space each iteration
IntermittentCompare passing vs failing run logs — find ordering divergence
Regressiongit bisect — find the offending commit
PerformanceTiming at stage boundaries — find the bottleneck

Key Rules

  1. NEVER edit source code in phases 1-3 (except // DEBUG in phase 2)
  2. NEVER proceed past phase 3 without user confirmation
  3. ALWAYS reproduce before investigating
  4. ALWAYS verify after fixing

Example

User request:

a bug keeps getting "fixed" without resolving the underlying issue; diagnose it and return the concrete next action.

Limitations

  • Use this skill only when the task clearly matches the scope described above.
  • Do not treat the output as a substitute for environment-specific validation, testing, or expert review.
  • Stop and ask for clarification if required inputs, permissions, safety boundaries, or success criteria are missing.

More debugging skills

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Prompts that go with Phase gated debugging

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