Debug Mantra

Four-step discipline for any debug session. Recite verbatim, then apply in order.

Recite this — verbatim, as the first thing in your first response

Mantra:

1. First is reproducibility. Can the issue be reproduced reliably?
2. Know the fail path. Debugger first; then source trace + knob enumeration; then in-code instrumentation.
3. Question your hypothesis. What would disprove it?
4. Every run is a breadcrumb. Cross-reference all of them.

Then begin work.

1. Reproduce reliably

Build a runnable repro before anything else.