debug

Name: debug
Author: anthropics

Systematically reproduce, isolate, diagnose, and fix tricky software or environment issues.

Stars

★ 23,611

Source

GitHub

Updated

2026-08-22

// securityLow risk

Prompt only, no code
Open source
Community-trusted· 23.6k

Running security audit…

Credentials
Network egress
Code execution
Data access
Supply chain

// install

Copy the install command and let the AI configure it · recommended for beginners

Please install the "debug" skill from askskill:
1. Download https://raw.githubusercontent.com/anthropics/knowledge-work-plugins/main/engineering/skills/debug/SKILL.md
2. Save it as ~/.claude/skills/debug/SKILL.md
3. Reload skills and tell me it's ready

// download

Download SKILL.mdInstall manifest ↗

// examples

Investigate a production error

Prompt

Here is a production error log and stack trace. Please debug it systematically using this structure: reproduction steps, likely root causes, validation methods, fix recommendations, and risk checks. Prioritize the most likely cause first:\n[paste error log/stack trace]

Expected

A structured debugging report with likely root causes, validation steps, fix options, and pre-release checks.

Find staging vs production differences

Prompt

This feature works in staging but fails in production. Help me create a debugging plan to compare configuration, dependencies, data, cache, permissions, network, and build differences, and propose the smallest validation experiments. Context:\n[describe behavior and environment details]

Expected

A prioritized checklist for environment-difference debugging and quick experiments to validate hypotheses.

Analyze a post-deploy regression

Prompt

A feature broke after deployment. Based on the changes, help me determine whether this is a regression and provide: impact scope, suspicious commit types, rollback advice, fix path, and prevention measures. Change summary:\n[paste deploy notes, commits, or PR summary]

Expected

A regression-focused analysis to support quick rollback, remediation, and future prevention decisions.

// docs

/debug

If you see unfamiliar placeholders or need to check which tools are connected, see CONNECTORS.md.

Run a structured debugging session to find and fix issues systematically.

Usage

/debug $ARGUMENTS

How It Works

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                       DEBUG                                        │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│  Step 1: REPRODUCE                                                │
│  ✓ Understand the expected vs. actual behavior                   │
│  ✓ Identify exact reproduction steps                             │
│  ✓ Determine scope (when did it start? who is affected?)        │
│                                                                    │
│  Step 2: ISOLATE                                                   │
│  ✓ Narrow down the component, service, or code path             │
│  ✓ Check recent changes (deploys, config changes, dependencies) │
│  ✓ Review logs and error messages                                │
│                                                                    │
│  Step 3: DIAGNOSE                                                  │
│  ✓ Form hypotheses and test them                                 │
│  ✓ Trace the code path                                           │
│  ✓ Identify root cause (not just symptoms)                      │
│                                                                    │
│  Step 4: FIX                                                       │
│  ✓ Propose a fix with explanation                                │
│  ✓ Consider side effects and edge cases                          │
│  ✓ Suggest tests to prevent regression                           │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

What I Need From You

Tell me about the problem. Any of these help:

Error message or stack trace
Steps to reproduce
What changed recently
Logs or screenshots
Expected vs. actual behavior

Output

## Debug Report: [Issue Summary]

### Reproduction
- **Expected**: [What should happen]
- **Actual**: [What happens instead]
- **Steps**: [How to reproduce]

### Root Cause
[Explanation of why the bug occurs]

### Fix
[Code changes or configuration fixes needed]

### Prevention
- [Test to add]
- [Guard to put in place]

If Connectors Available

If ~~monitoring is connected:

Pull logs, error rates, and metrics around the time of the issue
Show recent deploys and config changes that may correlate

If ~~source control is connected:

Identify recent commits and PRs that touched affected code paths
Check if the issue correlates with a specific change

If ~~project tracker is connected:

Search for related bug reports or known issues
Create a ticket for the fix once identified

Tips

Share error messages exactly — Don't paraphrase. The exact text matters.
Mention what changed — Recent deploys, dependency updates, and config changes are top suspects.
Include context — "This works in staging but not prod" or "Only affects large payloads" narrows things fast.