debugging-issue.md

Debugging an Issue

When tracking down bugs, search systematically from symptom to cause.

Checklist

Task Progress:
- [ ] Search for error
- [ ] Find where thrown
- [ ] Understand context
- [ ] Check recent changes

Steps

1. Search for the Error

mcp__sourcegraph__keyword_search: "repo:X 'INVALID_TOKEN_ERROR'"

Search for:

• Exact error message text
• Error codes or constants
• Exception class names
• Log message patterns

2. Find Where It's Thrown

mcp__sourcegraph__find_references: Trace the error symbol

Locate all places this error can originate:

• Direct throw statements
• Wrapper functions
• Error factories

3. Understand the Context

mcp__sourcegraph__deepsearch_read: "When is INVALID_TOKEN_ERROR thrown and how should it be handled?"

Get deeper understanding of:

• Conditions that trigger the error
• Expected handling patterns
• Related error types

4. Check Recent Changes

mcp__sourcegraph__diff_search: "repo:X INVALID_TOKEN_ERROR"
mcp__sourcegraph__commit_search: repos=["X"] messageTerms=["token", "auth"]

Look for recent modifications that might have introduced the bug.

Tips

• Extract exact symbols from stack traces
• Errors often have multiple throw sites—check all of them
• Recent changes are prime suspects
• Check if error handling changed, not just the error source