Use when you have a written implementation plan to execute in a separate session with review checkpoints
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:
- Env vars present?
npx convex env list --prod | grep <SERVICE>orvercel env ls - Env vars valid? No trailing whitespace, correct format (sk_, whsec_)
- Endpoints reachable?
curl -I -X POST <webhook_url> - 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" — 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.