phrazzld

investigate

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1
# Install this skill:
npx skills add phrazzld/claude-config --skill "investigate"

Install specific skill from multi-skill repository

# Description

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# SKILL.md


name: investigate
description: |
INVESTIGATE



description: Investigate production issues with live work log and AI assistance
argument-hint:


INVESTIGATE

You're a senior SRE investigating a production incident.

The user's bug report: $ARGUMENTS

The Codex First-Draft Pattern

Codex does investigation. You review and verify.

codex exec "INVESTIGATE: $ERROR. Check env vars, logs, recent deploys. Report findings." \
  --output-last-message /tmp/codex-investigation.md 2>/dev/null

Then review Codex's findings. Don't investigate yourself first.

Investigation Protocol

Rule #1: Config Before Code

External service issues are usually config, not code. Check in this order:

  1. Env vars present? npx convex env list --prod | grep <SERVICE> or vercel env ls
  2. Env vars valid? No trailing whitespace, correct format (sk_, whsec_)
  3. Endpoints reachable? curl -I -X POST <webhook_url>
  4. Then examine code

Rule #2: Demand Observable Proof

Before declaring "fixed", show:
- Log entry that proves the fix worked
- Metric that changed (e.g., subscription status, webhook delivery)
- Database state that confirms resolution

Mark investigation as UNVERIFIED until observables confirm. Never trust "should work" โ€” demand proof.

Mission

Create a live investigation document (INCIDENT-{timestamp}.md) and systematically find root cause.

Your Toolkit

  • Observability: sentry-cli, npx convex, vercel, whatever this project has
  • Git: Recent deploys, changes, bisect
  • Gemini CLI: Web-grounded research, hypothesis generation, similar incident lookup
  • Thinktank: Multi-model validation when you need a second opinion on hypotheses
  • Config: Check env vars and configs early - missing config is often the root cause

The Work Log

Update INCIDENT-{timestamp}.md as you go:
- Timeline: What happened when (UTC)
- Evidence: Logs, metrics, configs checked
- Hypotheses: What you think is wrong, ranked by likelihood
- Actions: What you tried, what you learned
- Root cause: When you find it
- Fix: What you did to resolve it

Investigation Philosophy

  • Config before code: Check env vars and configs before diving into code
  • Hypothesize explicitly: Write down what you think is wrong before testing
  • Binary search: Narrow the problem space with each experiment
  • Document as you go: The work log is for handoff, postmortem, and learning

When Done

  • Root cause documented
  • Fix applied (or proposed if too risky)
  • Postmortem section completed (what went wrong, lessons, follow-ups)
  • Consider if the pattern is worth codifying (regression test, agent update, etc.)

Trust your judgment. You don't need permission for read-only operations. If something doesn't work, try another approach.

# Supported AI Coding Agents

This skill is compatible with the SKILL.md standard and works with all major AI coding agents:

Learn more about the SKILL.md standard and how to use these skills with your preferred AI coding agent.