---
stable_id: skills/obra-systematic-debugging
type: skills
title: obra-systematic-debugging
summary: >-
  ---

  name: systematic-debugging

  description: Use when encountering any bug, test failure, or unexpected
  behavior, before proposing fixes

  ---

  # Systematic Debugging

  ## Overview

  Random fixes waste time and create new bugs. Quick patches mask underlying
  issues.

  **Core principle:** ALWAYS find root cause before attempting fixes. Symptom
  fixes are failure.

  **Violating the letter of this process is violating the spirit of debugging.**

  ## The Iron Law
tags:
  - obra
  - source-obra-superpowers
source_url: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/obra/superpowers/main/skills/systematic-debugging/SKILL.md
license: ""
upstream_ref: https://github.com/obra/superpowers/blob/main/skills/systematic-debugging/SKILL.md
github_stars: 101712
github_forks: 8129
github_is_organization: false
retrieved_at: 2026-06-11T08:33:18.127Z
content_sha256: 4999cb851360485eca5074e727bbdd62ef20549c5d5b01216fcbf5831badb473
---
