ca-debug
Investigate-then-decide root-cause analysis for a defect whose cause is unknown. No code changes — exits to $ca-fix, $ca-adr, or a no-action close.
npx skills add arbiterForge/codeArbiter --skill ca-debug --agent codex
Same command for any agent — swap --agent for claude-code, cursor, copilot.
Weekly change comes from our own snapshots, not the repository page — it measures attention, not adoption.
# $ca-debug — root-cause investigation Investigates a defect, anomaly, or unexpected behavior whose cause is not yet known. Separates investigation from implementation: no code is modified while debugging. Describe the symptom with enough fidelity that another operator could reproduce it — observed behavior, reproduction steps (or intermittent-trigger profile), and environment. Vague descriptions ("it's flaky") are rejected; the orchestrator asks for clarification before routing. If the cause is already known and a regression test is already named, invoke `$ca-fix` directly. ## Routes to The `debug` skill (`${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/routines/debug/SKILL.md`) — five gated phases: symptom capture, hypothesis generation, evidence gathering, root-cause decision, handoff. Phase 4 forces one named exit: - **(a) Confirmed bug → `$ca-fix`**, carrying the confirmed bug statement, cited evidence, and a named regression test obligation tied to the minimal repro. - **(b) Behavior/design ambiguity → `$ca-adr`**, with the ambiguity statement and evidence ledger, authored only with explicit user attribution. - **(c) No-action close** — symptom and rationale appended to `<project-root>/.codearbiter/op
- Routes to
- When NOT to use
- Hard gate
What does the ca-debug skill do?
Investigate-then-decide root-cause analysis for a defect whose cause is unknown. No code changes — exits to $ca-fix, $ca-adr, or a no-action close.
How do I install it?
Run `npx skills add arbiterForge/codeArbiter --skill ca-debug --agent claude-code` — it drops the skill into your project so the agent can pick it up. Swap the --agent value for codex, cursor or copilot if you use one of those.
Where does this skill come from?
From arbiterForge/codeArbiter, a repository with 138 stars. We read it straight from the repository tree rather than a submitted listing, so what you see here is what is actually published.
Is a popular skill a good skill?
Not necessarily. Stars measure attention, not adoption — a repository can trend for a week and be abandoned. That is why we show the weekly change from our own snapshots next to the total, instead of a single flattering number.