How do I install the Gitnexus Debugging skill?

Run npx skillmds@latest add grafana/gitnexus-debugging in your terminal (requires Node.js), paste this page's agent-chat prompt into Claude, Cursor, or any MCP-connected agent, or download the SKILL.md file and copy it into your agent's skills directory.

Is Gitnexus Debugging safe to use?

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Which AI agents work with Gitnexus Debugging?

This skill is tagged as working with Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex. SKILL.md is an open format, so most agents that read a skills directory can load it too.

Is Gitnexus Debugging free to use?

Yes. Installing skills from SkillMD is free, and the skill stays under its author's original license.

Who published Gitnexus Debugging?

grafana (@grafana) published this skill. Their other Agent Skills are listed on their SkillMD profile.

Gitnexus Debugging by grafana — Agent Skill

Name: Gitnexus Debugging
Author: grafana

File contents

Debugging with GitNexus

When to Use

"Why is this function failing?"
"Trace where this error comes from"
"Who calls this method?"
"This endpoint returns 500"
Investigating bugs, errors, or unexpected behavior

Workflow

1. gitnexus_query({query: "<error or symptom>"})            → Find related execution flows
2. gitnexus_context({name: "<suspect>"})                    → See callers/callees/processes
3. READ gitnexus://repo/{name}/process/{name}                → Trace execution flow
4. gitnexus_cypher({query: "MATCH path..."})                 → Custom traces if needed

If "Index is stale" → run npx gitnexus analyze in terminal.

Checklist

- [ ] Understand the symptom (error message, unexpected behavior)
- [ ] gitnexus_query for error text or related code
- [ ] Identify the suspect function from returned processes
- [ ] gitnexus_context to see callers and callees
- [ ] Trace execution flow via process resource if applicable
- [ ] gitnexus_cypher for custom call chain traces if needed
- [ ] Read source files to confirm root cause

Debugging Patterns

Symptom	GitNexus Approach
Error message	`gitnexus_query` for error text → `context` on throw sites
Wrong return value	`context` on the function → trace callees for data flow
Intermittent failure	`context` → look for external calls, async deps
Performance issue	`context` → find symbols with many callers (hot paths)
Recent regression	`detect_changes` to see what your changes affect

Tools

gitnexus_query — find code related to error:

gitnexus_query({query: "payment validation error"})
→ Processes: CheckoutFlow, ErrorHandling
→ Symbols: validatePayment, handlePaymentError, PaymentException

gitnexus_context — full context for a suspect:

gitnexus_context({name: "validatePayment"})
→ Incoming calls: processCheckout, webhookHandler
→ Outgoing calls: verifyCard, fetchRates (external API!)
→ Processes: CheckoutFlow (step 3/7)

gitnexus_cypher — custom call chain traces:

MATCH path = (a)-[:CodeRelation {type: 'CALLS'}*1..2]->(b:Function {name: "validatePayment"})
RETURN [n IN nodes(path) | n.name] AS chain

Example: "Payment endpoint returns 500 intermittently"

1. gitnexus_query({query: "payment error handling"})
   → Processes: CheckoutFlow, ErrorHandling
   → Symbols: validatePayment, handlePaymentError

2. gitnexus_context({name: "validatePayment"})
   → Outgoing calls: verifyCard, fetchRates (external API!)

3. READ gitnexus://repo/my-app/process/CheckoutFlow
   → Step 3: validatePayment → calls fetchRates (external)

4. Root cause: fetchRates calls external API without proper timeout

---name: gitnexus-debuggingdescription: Use when the user is debugging a bug, tracing an error, or asking why something fails. Examples: "Why is X failing?", "Where does this error come from?", "Trace this bug"---# Debugging with GitNexus## When to Use- "Why is this function failing?"- "Trace where this error comes from"- "Who calls this method?"- "This endpoint returns 500"- Investigating bugs, errors, or unexpected behavior## Workflow```1. gitnexus_query({query: "<error or symptom>"}) → Find related execution flows2. gitnexus_context({name: "<suspect>"}) → See callers/callees/processes3. READ gitnexus://repo/{name}/process/{name} → Trace execution flow4. gitnexus_cypher({query: "MATCH path..."}) → Custom traces if needed```> If "Index is stale" → run `npx gitnexus analyze` in terminal.## Checklist```- [ ] Understand the symptom (error message, unexpected behavior)- [ ] gitnexus_query for error text or related code- [ ] Identify the suspect function from returned processes- [ ] gitnexus_context to see callers and callees- [ ] Trace execution flow via process resource if applicable- [ ] gitnexus_cypher for custom call chain traces if needed- [ ] Read source files to confirm root cause```## Debugging Patterns| Symptom | GitNexus Approach || -------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------- || Error message | `gitnexus_query` for error text → `context` on throw sites || Wrong return value | `context` on the function → trace callees for data flow || Intermittent failure | `context` → look for external calls, async deps || Performance issue | `context` → find symbols with many callers (hot paths) || Recent regression | `detect_changes` to see what your changes affect |## Tools**gitnexus_query** — find code related to error:```gitnexus_query({query: "payment validation error"})→ Processes: CheckoutFlow, ErrorHandling→ Symbols: validatePayment, handlePaymentError, PaymentException```**gitnexus_context** — full context for a suspect:```gitnexus_context({name: "validatePayment"})→ Incoming calls: processCheckout, webhookHandler→ Outgoing calls: verifyCard, fetchRates (external API!)→ Processes: CheckoutFlow (step 3/7)```**gitnexus_cypher** — custom call chain traces:```cypherMATCH path = (a)-[:CodeRelation {type: 'CALLS'}*1..2]->(b:Function {name: "validatePayment"})RETURN [n IN nodes(path) | n.name] AS chain```## Example: "Payment endpoint returns 500 intermittently"```1. gitnexus_query({query: "payment error handling"}) → Processes: CheckoutFlow, ErrorHandling → Symbols: validatePayment, handlePaymentError2. gitnexus_context({name: "validatePayment"}) → Outgoing calls: verifyCard, fetchRates (external API!)3. READ gitnexus://repo/my-app/process/CheckoutFlow → Step 3: validatePayment → calls fetchRates (external)4. Root cause: fetchRates calls external API without proper timeout```

Frequently asked questions

Gitnexus Debugging