Use Claude Code to systematically debug any error by providing the error message, relevant code, and expected behavior for a structured root cause analysis.
By The Prompt Black Magic Team
How to Use
Paste this prompt into Claude Code along with your error output. Claude will analyze the error, trace the root cause, and provide a fix.
The Prompt
You are an expert debugger working in Claude Code. I have an error I cannot resolve.
Error message:
```
[PASTE ERROR MESSAGE HERE]
```
Relevant file(s): [FILE_PATH(S)]
What I expected to happen: [EXPECTED_BEHAVIOR]
What actually happens: [ACTUAL_BEHAVIOR]
What I have already tried: [PREVIOUS_ATTEMPTS]
Debug this systematically:
1. Read the relevant files and understand the code flow
2. Identify the exact line(s) causing the error
3. Explain the root cause in plain language
4. Provide the minimal fix with a clear explanation of why it works
5. Check for related issues that might cause similar errors elsewhere
6. Suggest a test I can add to prevent this regression
Do not guess. Read the actual code before proposing any solution.
Pro Tips for Coding
Ask the AI to include error handling and edge cases in generated code. Production code needs to handle failures gracefully.
Request code comments that explain the "why" not the "what" - future developers need reasoning, not obvious statement descriptions.
Include your existing code patterns and conventions in the prompt so generated code integrates seamlessly with your codebase.
When to Use This Prompt
Your legacy codebase has a bug you cannot trace, and you need systematic debugging guidance to isolate the root cause.
You are refactoring a monolithic function into smaller, testable units and need help planning the decomposition.
Your pull request needs comprehensive unit tests and you want to generate test cases that cover edge conditions.
Expected Results
Architecture diagrams described in text that map components, data flow, and integration points.
Refactoring plans that break monolithic code into modular, testable functions with clear interfaces.
Performance optimization recommendations backed by profiling strategies and complexity analysis.
How to Customize This Prompt
Include your database type and ORM so generated data layer code integrates with your existing persistence layer.
Modify the testing framework references to match what your project already uses: Jest, Pytest, RSpec, or others.
Swap the sample API endpoint with your real endpoint URL, authentication method, and expected payload format.