Python Debug Execution

This skill provides a pattern for debugging Python script execution failures. It ensures you capture actual tracebacks instead of opaque errors and verifies the working directory before file operations.

Core Pattern

1. Execute with Full Traceback Capture

Always run Python scripts with stderr redirected and exit code reported:

python3 script.py 2>&1 ; echo Exit code: $?

This pattern:

• 2>&1 - Redirects stderr to stdout so all output (including tracebacks) is captured together
• echo Exit code: $? - Reports the exit code to distinguish between successful runs and failures

Why this matters: Opaque errors without tracebacks make it impossible to identify the root cause. The exit code tells you if the script succeeded (0) or failed (non-zero).