---
name: systematic-debugging
description: 4-phase root cause analysis (Observe→Hypothesize→Verify→Fix). Auto-activate whenever a bug or unexpected behavior is encountered during any phase. Also activate during hotfix research.
phases: ["implement", "review", "test", "hotfix"]
trigger: auto (on bug/error encounter)
trigger_priority: contextual
load_policy: on-failure
cost_type: execution
cost_risk: high
runtime_anchor: ["AGENTS.md#Skill Activation Triggers", ".agent/workflows/hotfix.md#1", ".agent/workflows/implement.md#Skill Execution Overrides", ".agent/workflows/test.md#Step 3"]
---

# Systematic Debugging

Full instructions: `.agents/skills/systematic-debugging/SKILL.md`.

- **Trigger**: Auto — whenever encountering unexpected behavior, test failures, or runtime errors
- **Runtime anchor**: existing workflows only load the detailed skill once a failure or bug signal appears
- **Token note**: Read cost is small; execution cost spikes when hypothesis and verification loops repeat
