Debug Tools

Iterative debugging workflow with flexible technique selection and escalation.

Workflow

investigate --> fix --> verify --> done
  ^_______________________|  (max 3 attempts, then escalate)

Core loop: investigate, fix, verify. Techniques (log injection, pattern comparison, focus area analysis) are tools within investigation, not mandatory phases. Log cleanup happens automatically after verification succeeds.

Context Loading Strategy

Load only the reference matching the current trigger. Multiple references may be loaded during a full debugging session (investigation often leads to log injection).

Triggers

Trigger Pattern	Reference
Debug issue, investigate bug, fix bug	investigation.md
Add debug logs, inject logs, trace with logs	log-injection.md
Remove debug logs, cleanup logs	log-cleanup.md
Debug patterns, log format, common bugs	debugging-patterns.md

Cross-References

investigation.md <---> log-injection.md (investigation may request logs)
investigation.md <---> log-cleanup.md (after fix verified)
investigation.md <---> debugging-patterns.md (pattern comparison)
log-injection.md ----> log-cleanup.md (cleanup removes injected logs)

Guidelines

DO:

• Use confidence scoring: >= 70 report as probable cause, 50-69 suggest logs
• Compare broken code against working examples when root cause is unclear
• Always use [DEBUG] prefix for injected logs (enables cleanup)
• Apply minimal fix: smallest change that resolves the issue
• Clean up debug logs automatically after fix is verified
• Track fix attempts: after 3 failed fixes, escalate on the 4th to architectural review
• Use whatever debugging tools are available in the environment

DON'T:

• Report findings with confidence < 50
• Log sensitive data (passwords, tokens, PII)
• Apply large refactors as part of a bug fix
• Leave debug logs in production code
• Keep retrying the same approach when fixes fail repeatedly

Error Handling

• No bug description provided: ask user to describe the issue
• Cannot reproduce: suggest adding debug logs
• Fix doesn't work: return to investigation with new evidence
• Three failed fix attempts: escalate to architectural review on the next attempt
• Logs left behind: user can request cleanup anytime