# Read The Trace

> Extract the actual cause from a stack trace instead of pattern-matching the error type. Use on any crash or exception.

- Skill: `elitongadotti/read-the-trace` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add elitongadotti/read-the-trace`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/elitongadotti/read-the-trace/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Coding & Dev Tools
- Author: elitongadotti (https://skillmd.com/u/elitongadotti)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/elitongadotti/read-the-trace

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# Read the Trace
LLMs love to see "TypeError" and generate a generic fix without reading the trace. Don't.
- Find the **deepest frame in YOUR code** — not the library frame at the top. That's where the bad value entered.
- Read the actual values: what was null/undefined/wrong-type, and where it came from.
- Trace it one level up: why was that value bad? The root is usually 1-2 frames above the throw.
- Reproduce with that exact input before fixing.
A TypeError can mean a hundred things. The trace tells you which one — read all of it, including the "caused by".