debug-failing-test Skill

Source

• Creator: microsoft
• Repository: microsoft/vscode-python-environments
• Skill file: .github/skills/debug-failing-test/SKILL.md

What it does

Debug a failing test using an iterative logging approach, then clean up and document the learning.

Skill instructions

Debug a failing unit test by iteratively adding verbose logging, running the test, and analyzing the output until the root cause is found and fixed. Workflow Phase 1: Initial Assessment 1. Run the failing test to capture the current error message and stack trace 2. Read the test file to understand what is being tested 3. Read the source file being tested to understand the expected behavior 4. Identify the assertion that fails and what values are involved Phase 2: Iterative Debugging Loop Repeat until the root cause is understood: 1. Add verbose logging around the suspicious code: - Use console.log('[DEBUG]', ...) with descriptive labels - Log input values, intermediate states, and return values - Log before/after key operations - Add timestamps if timing might be relevant 2. Run the test and capture output 3. Assess the logging output: - What values are unexpected? - Where does the behavior diverge from expectations? - What additional logging would help narrow down the issue? 4. Decide