---
name: claude-code-debug
description: "Troubleshoot Claude Code extensions and behavior. Triggers on: debug, troubleshoot, not working, skill not loading, hook not running, agent not found."
license: MIT
compatibility: "Claude Code CLI"
allowed-tools: "Bash Read"
metadata:
  author: claude-mods
  related-skills: claude-code-hooks, claude-code-headless, claude-code-templates
---

# Claude Code Debug

Troubleshoot extensions, hooks, and unexpected behavior.

## Quick Diagnostics

```bash
# Enable debug mode
claude --debug

# Check loaded extensions
/hooks        # View registered hooks
/agents       # View available agents
/memory       # View loaded memory files
/config       # View current configuration
```

## Common Issues

| Symptom | Quick Check |
|---------|-------------|
| Skill not activating | Verify description has trigger keywords |
| Hook not running | Check `chmod +x`, run `/hooks` |
| Agent not delegating | Add "Use proactively" to description |
| MCP connection fails | Test server manually with `npx` |
| Permission denied | Check settings.json allow rules |

## Debug Mode Output

```bash
claude --debug
# Shows:
# - Hook execution and errors
# - Skill loading status
# - Subagent invocations
# - Tool permission decisions
# - MCP server connections
```

## Quick Fixes

### Skill Not Loading

```bash
# Check structure
ls -la .claude/skills/my-skill/
# Must have: SKILL.md

# Verify YAML frontmatter
head -10 .claude/skills/my-skill/SKILL.md
# Must start/end with ---

# Check name matches directory
grep "^name:" .claude/skills/my-skill/SKILL.md
```

### Hook Not Executing

```bash
# Make executable
chmod +x .claude/hooks/my-hook.sh

# Test manually
echo '{"tool_name":"Bash"}' | .claude/hooks/my-hook.sh
echo $?  # Check exit code

# Verify JSON syntax
jq '.' ~/.claude/settings.json
```

### Agent Not Being Used

```bash
# Check file location
ls ~/.claude/agents/
ls .claude/agents/

# Verify description includes "Use for:" or "Use proactively"
grep -i "use" agents/my-agent.md | head -5

# Explicitly request
# "Use the my-agent agent to analyze this"
```

## Validation

```bash
# Run all validations
just test

# YAML validation only
just validate-yaml

# Name matching only
just validate-names
```

## Official Documentation

- https://code.claude.com/docs/en/hooks - Hooks reference
- https://code.claude.com/docs/en/skills - Skills reference
- https://code.claude.com/docs/en/sub-agents - Custom subagents
- https://code.claude.com/docs/en/settings - Settings configuration

## Additional Resources

- `./references/common-issues.md` - Issue → Solution lookup table
- `./references/debug-commands.md` - All inspection commands
- `./references/troubleshooting-flow.md` - Decision tree

---

**See Also:** `claude-code-hooks` for hook debugging, `claude-code-templates` for correct structure


---
Source attribution: jcasnellie69
Original project: https://github.com/jcasnellie69/homelab-config/blob/main/.codebuddy/skills/claude-code-debug/SKILL.md
License: MIT
License information: https://opensource.org/license/mit
Original upstream instructions; downloaded from Mega AI Hub.

## Upstream license notice

MIT License

Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal
in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights
to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell
copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is
furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:

The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all
copies or substantial portions of the Software.

THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE
SOFTWARE.



# Mega AI Hub resource metadata

Creator / publisher: jcasnellie69
Original project: https://github.com/jcasnellie69/homelab-config/blob/main/.codebuddy/skills/claude-code-debug/SKILL.md
Attribution basis: Source repository record

Fields of work: Sales, Customer Support
Roles: Customer Success Manager, Sales Development Rep (SDR), Technical Support
Specialties: API
Tools: Bash Read
Country applicability: Country not specified
Classification basis: Source catalog labels
Instruction SHA-256: 27b794af4616ba90add5dac7e90a18970aa5d56412cb7d51c37f0a2bfd3b260c