stevefeldman/debug-error

Debug Error

Systematically debug and resolve errors using structured, hypothesis-driven investigation.

Instructions

Follow this methodology to debug: $ARGUMENTS

1. Read the Error and Source Code

• Read the complete error message, stack trace, and error code.
• Open the file and line where the error originates — read the surrounding code.
• Check recent changes to the failing code: git log -10 --oneline -- <file> and git diff on relevant files.
• Note the conditions under which the error occurs (timing, inputs, frequency, environment).

2. Reproduce the Error

• Run the failing command, test, or request to confirm the error.
• Create a minimal reproduction if the trigger is complex.
• Document the exact steps and inputs that produce the error.

3. Analyze the Stack Trace

• Read the stack trace from bottom to top to understand the full call chain.
• Identify the originating error vs. wrapper errors.
• Trace the execution path: what functions were called, in what order, with what arguments.
• Open each file in the stack trace and read the relevant code.

4. Form Hypotheses

Based on the evidence, form ranked hypotheses about the root cause. Common causes to consider:

• Null/undefined reference
• Type mismatch or incorrect type coercion
• Race condition or timing issue
• Missing or incorrect configuration/environment variable
• Logic error (off-by-one, wrong conditional, incorrect state transition)
• External dependency failure (network, database, API)
• Resource exhaustion (memory, file handles, connections)

5. Investigate Systematically

• Test hypotheses in order of likelihood, one at a time.
• Use binary search to isolate the problem: comment out code, add logging, simplify inputs.
• Verify assumptions about data: print variable values, check types, inspect state at key points.
• Check input data validity, edge cases, and boundary conditions.

6. Check Dependencies and Environment

• Verify external dependencies and their versions (package.json, requirements.txt, lock files).
• Check configuration files and environment variables for correctness.
• Test network connectivity, API availability, and database connections if relevant.
• Look for version mismatches or breaking changes in recently updated dependencies.

7. Identify the Root Cause

• Confirm the root cause by explaining why the error occurs, not just where.
• Determine if it is a logic error, design flaw, configuration issue, or external problem.
• Check if similar patterns exist elsewhere in the codebase that might have the same bug.

8. Implement the Fix

• Design a fix that addresses the root cause, not just the symptom.
• Consider multiple approaches and choose the one with the best trade-off of correctness, simplicity, and safety.
• Add defensive checks and proper error handling around the fix.
• Avoid introducing new issues — keep the change minimal and focused.

9. Verify the Fix

• Run the original reproduction steps to confirm the error is resolved.
• Run the project's full test suite to check for regressions.
• Test edge cases and related scenarios that might be affected.
• If the error was input-dependent, test with varied inputs.

10. Prevent Recurrence

• Write a test that reproduces the original error and passes with the fix.
• Improve error handling and logging so similar issues are easier to diagnose in the future.
• Add input validation or defensive checks if the error was caused by unexpected input.
• Update code comments to explain non-obvious logic that contributed to the bug.