debugging-decisions

This skill guides you to fix problems holistically, rather than applying band-aids.

Core Principles

1. Don't Create Code Paths for Unicorns:

   • Standardize: Don't create special cases for every exception.
   • Fix the Data/Environment: If "unicorns" (weird edge cases) exist, try to fix the data or environment causing them, rather than writing code to handle them.
   • Remove Complexity: Reduce cyclomatic complexity by removing if/else blocks for rare exceptions.

2. Boy Scout Rule:

   • Leave it Better: Always improve the code you touch.
   • Incremental Refactoring: Fix typos, improve variable names, or add comments to the file you are editing, even if it's not the main task.
   • Put Out Fires: If you see a "burning fire" (critical bug/bad pattern) nearby, fix it or flag it.

3. Don't Be Attached to Old Designs:

   • Sunk Cost Fallacy: Don't keep bad code just because you wrote it or spent a long time on it.
   • Rewrite when Necessary: If the fundamental design is flawed, a rewrite of that component might be faster than patching it forever.

Actionable Instructions for Agents

• When fixing a bug:

  1. Read Context: Check docs/company_context.md. If missing, run .agent/workflows/interview_company_context.md.
  2. Identify the root cause. Why did this happen?
  3. Don't just add an if (obj != null) check. Find out why it was null.
  4. Check if the surrounding code can be cleaned up while you are there.

• When handling edge cases:

  1. Ask "Can we prevent this state from happening?"
  2. If yes, prevent it upstream.
  3. If no, handle it cleanly, but consider logging it as an anomaly to be investigated.