the-own-lab/debug-validate
skills/debug-validate/SKILL.md
/debug step: test one hypothesis at a time. Hard rule: no shotgun debugging — no concurrent changes across hypotheses.
development
Updated Apr 22, 2026
$ install --global
skillsauthnpx skillsauth add the-own-lab/Claude-company-of-one debug-validateInstall this skill globally with one command. Works with Claude Code, Cursor, and Windsurf.
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Last scanned: Apr 22, 2026, 11:15 AM117.5s1 file scanned
SKILL.md
- name:
- debug-validate
- description:
- /debug step: test one hypothesis at a time. Hard rule: no shotgun debugging — no concurrent changes across hypotheses.
debug-validate
Purpose
Burn down the hypothesis list from debug-hypotheses one at a time. Confirm or
refute with an actual experiment before moving to the next. This is the skill that
prevents the "change three things, see which one worked" antipattern.
Inputs
BRIEF.md## Hypothesessection.- The reproduction case from the brief.
- Code / tests / logs for the suspected area.
Outputs
BRIEF.md## Hypothesesupdated in place:- Each H section gets a
Result:line:confirmed | refuted | inconclusive. Notes:field with the exact command output or diff used to conclude.
- Each H section gets a
- A single
### Root Causesubsection once a hypothesis is confirmed, referencing which H it was and the supporting evidence.
Procedure
- Pick the highest-confidence, cheapest-to-validate hypothesis.
- Run its
Validationstep fromdebug-hypothesesverbatim. Do not skip ahead to fixing. Do not change more than one variable. - Record the result on that hypothesis. If
confirmed, stop and write### Root Cause. - If
refuted, move to the next hypothesis. Ifinconclusive, refine the hypothesis (tighter experiment) or split it, then re-validate. - Never modify multiple suspected areas simultaneously. If the user pushes for speed, refuse and cite ADR-001's "no routing / no shortcut" posture.
Failure modes
- User asks you to "just try fixing all three" → refuse. Shotgun debugging invalidates the evidence chain and reintroduces the same class of bug later.
- All 5 hypotheses refuted → return to
debug-hypothesesand enumerate a fresh round; do not fabricate a 6th. inconclusivetwice in a row on the same H → refine the experiment or drop it; infinite loops are a smell.
Does not do
- Does not fix the bug. Fix happens in
tdd(regression test first) after### Root Causeis written. - Does not skip hypotheses for speed.
- Does not merge into
debug-hypotheses; enumeration and validation are separate for audit trail reasons.
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