claude-mpm 4.1.6__py3-none-any.whl → 4.24.0__py3-none-any.whl

claude_mpm/skills/bundled/debugging/root-cause-tracing/references/advanced-techniques.md

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+# Advanced Tracing Techniques
+
+Advanced methods for tracing bugs when manual inspection isn't sufficient: instrumentation, stack traces, test pollution detection, and async tracing.
+
+## When Manual Tracing Isn't Enough
+
+Manual code inspection works well when:
+- Code path is clear
+- Stack traces are available
+- Single-threaded execution
+- You can identify all callers
+
+**Use advanced techniques when:**
+- Can't identify which code path triggers the issue
+- Multiple async operations interleave
+- Race conditions or timing issues
+- Need to find which test causes pollution
+- External code (libraries) involved
+- Production issues you can't reproduce locally
+
+## Stack Trace Instrumentation
+
+### Purpose
+
+Capture complete call stack at strategic points to understand execution flow.
+
+### Basic Stack Trace Capture
+
+```typescript
+function suspiciousOperation(param: string) {
+  // Capture stack trace BEFORE the operation
+  const stack = new Error().stack;
+  console.error('DEBUG suspiciousOperation:', {
+    param,
+    cwd: process.cwd(),
+    timestamp: Date.now(),
+    stack
+  });
+
+  // Now do the operation
+  performOperation(param);
+}
+```
+
+**Key points:**
+- Use `console.error()` in tests (regular logger may be suppressed)
+- Log BEFORE the operation, not after it fails
+- Include context: parameters, environment, state
+- Capture stack with `new Error().stack`
+
+### Analyzing Stack Traces
+
+**Run and capture output:**
+```bash
+npm test 2>&1 | grep 'DEBUG suspiciousOperation'
+```
+
+**Look for:**
+- Test file names in stack traces
+- Line numbers that trigger the call
+- Patterns: same test? same parameters?
+- Call frequency: how many times called?
+
+**Example output:**
+```
+DEBUG suspiciousOperation: {
+  param: '',
+  cwd: '/Users/jesse/project/packages/core',
+  stack: 'Error
+    at suspiciousOperation (file.ts:10)
+    at WorktreeManager.create (worktree.ts:45)
+    at Session.initialize (session.ts:78)
+    at Project.create (project.ts:23)
+    at Test.<anonymous> (project.test.ts:12)
+    at Test.run (node:internal/test)'
+}
+```
+
+**Analysis:** The call originates from `project.test.ts:12` with empty parameter.
+
+### Conditional Instrumentation
+
+Only log when conditions are suspicious:
+
+```typescript
+function gitInit(directory: string) {
+  // Only log if directory is empty or equals cwd
+  if (!directory || directory === process.cwd()) {
+    console.error('SUSPICIOUS git init:', {
+      directory,
+      cwd: process.cwd(),
+      nodeEnv: process.env.NODE_ENV,
+      stack: new Error().stack
+    });
+  }
+
+  execFileAsync('git', ['init'], { cwd: directory });
+}
+```
+
+This reduces noise while capturing problematic cases.
+
+### Stack Trace in Production
+
+**Warning:** Stack traces have performance cost. Use carefully in production.
+
+```typescript
+class ErrorTracker {
+  private static captureInterval = 100; // Only capture 1% of calls
+  private static counter = 0;
+
+  static maybeCapture(operation: string, data: any) {
+    this.counter++;
+    if (this.counter % this.captureInterval === 0) {
+      // Sample 1% of operations
+      logger.warn('Sampled operation', {
+        operation,
+        data,
+        stack: new Error().stack
+      });
+    }
+  }
+}
+```
+
+## Finding Test Pollution
+
+### What is Test Pollution?
+
+Tests that create files, directories, or state that persists after the test completes.
+
+**Common polluters:**
+- Creating files/directories outside temp dir
+- Not cleaning up in afterEach
+- Modifying global state
+- Creating git repositories
+- Writing to current directory
+
+### Detection Strategy
+
+**Symptoms:**
+- Files appear in source code directory
+- Tests fail when run together but pass individually
+- Side effects from one test affect another
+- Cleanup code not running
+
+### Manual Detection
+
+**Check for artifacts after test run:**
+```bash
+# Before tests
+ls -la src/
+
+# Run tests
+npm test
+
+# After tests - did anything appear?
+ls -la src/
+```
+
+**Common artifacts:**
+- `.git` directories
+- `node_modules/` subdirectories
+- Temp files not cleaned up
+- Config files created
+- Log files
+
+### Automated Detection with Bisection
+
+Use the `find-polluter.sh` script to automatically find which test creates pollution:
+
+```bash
+#!/bin/bash
+# find-polluter.sh
+# Usage: ./find-polluter.sh <artifact> <test-pattern>
+# Example: ./find-polluter.sh '.git' 'src/**/*.test.ts'
+
+ARTIFACT=$1
+TEST_PATTERN=$2
+
+if [ -z "$ARTIFACT" ] || [ -z "$TEST_PATTERN" ]; then
+  echo "Usage: $0 <artifact> <test-pattern>"
+  echo "Example: $0 '.git' 'src/**/*.test.ts'"
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+# Get list of test files
+TEST_FILES=($(ls $TEST_PATTERN))
+
+echo "Testing ${#TEST_FILES[@]} files for artifact: $ARTIFACT"
+
+for test_file in "${TEST_FILES[@]}"; do
+  echo "Testing: $test_file"
+
+  # Remove artifact if exists
+  rm -rf "$ARTIFACT" 2>/dev/null
+
+  # Run single test file
+  npm test -- "$test_file"
+
+  # Check if artifact was created
+  if [ -e "$ARTIFACT" ]; then
+    echo "FOUND POLLUTER: $test_file"
+    exit 0
+  fi
+done
+
+echo "No polluter found"
+exit 1
+```
+
+**Usage:**
+```bash
+# Find which test creates .git directory
+./find-polluter.sh '.git' 'src/**/*.test.ts'
+
+# Find which test creates node_modules
+./find-polluter.sh 'node_modules' 'src/**/*.test.ts'
+```
+
+**Advanced version with binary search:**
+```bash
+#!/bin/bash
+# find-polluter-fast.sh - Uses binary search for faster detection
+
+ARTIFACT=$1
+TEST_PATTERN=$2
+TEST_FILES=($(ls $TEST_PATTERN))
+
+function test_files() {
+  local files=("$@")
+  rm -rf "$ARTIFACT" 2>/dev/null
+  npm test -- "${files[@]}"
+  [ -e "$ARTIFACT" ]
+}
+
+function binary_search() {
+  local files=("$@")
+  local count=${#files[@]}
+
+  if [ $count -eq 0 ]; then
+    echo "No polluter found"
+    return 1
+  fi
+
+  if [ $count -eq 1 ]; then
+    if test_files "${files[@]}"; then
+      echo "FOUND POLLUTER: ${files[0]}"
+      return 0
+    fi
+    return 1
+  fi
+
+  # Split in half
+  local mid=$((count / 2))
+  local left=("${files[@]:0:mid}")
+  local right=("${files[@]:mid}")
+
+  # Test left half
+  if test_files "${left[@]}"; then
+    binary_search "${left[@]}"
+  else
+    binary_search "${right[@]}"
+  fi
+}
+
+binary_search "${TEST_FILES[@]}"
+```
+
+### Preventing Test Pollution
+
+**Best practices:**
+1. **Always use temp directories:**
+   ```typescript
+   let tempDir: string;
+
+   beforeEach(() => {
+     tempDir = fs.mkdtempSync(path.join(os.tmpdir(), 'test-'));
+   });
+
+   afterEach(() => {
+     fs.rmSync(tempDir, { recursive: true });
+   });
+   ```
+
+2. **Validate test isolation:**
+   ```typescript
+   // Guard against operations outside temp dir
+   if (process.env.NODE_ENV === 'test') {
+     if (!directory.includes(os.tmpdir())) {
+       throw new Error(`Test safety: operation outside tmpdir: ${directory}`);
+     }
+   }
+   ```
+
+3. **Use cleanup verification:**
+   ```typescript
+   afterEach(() => {
+     // Clean up
+     fs.rmSync(tempDir, { recursive: true });
+
+     // Verify no artifacts in source
+     const gitInSource = fs.existsSync(path.join(__dirname, '.git'));
+     if (gitInSource) {
+       throw new Error('Test pollution: .git created in source directory');
+     }
+   });
+   ```
+
+## Async Operation Tracing
+
+### The Challenge
+
+Async operations obscure call chains:
+```typescript
+async function a() {
+  await b();
+}
+
+async function b() {
+  await c();
+}
+
+async function c() {
+  throw new Error('Something failed');
+}
+```
+
+Stack trace might only show:
+```
+Error: Something failed
+  at c (file.ts:10)
+```
+
+Missing the full chain: `a → b → c`
+
+### Node.js Async Stack Traces
+
+**Enable async stack traces:**
+```bash
+node --async-stack-traces test.js
+```
+
+Or in code:
+```typescript
+// At application entry point
+Error.stackTraceLimit = 50; // Capture deeper stacks
+```
+
+**In package.json:**
+```json
+{
+  "scripts": {
+    "test": "node --async-stack-traces ./node_modules/.bin/jest"
+  }
+}
+```
+
+### Trace IDs for Async Operations
+
+When multiple async operations interleave, use trace IDs:
+
+```typescript
+import { randomUUID } from 'crypto';
+import { AsyncLocalStorage } from 'async_hooks';
+
+const asyncLocalStorage = new AsyncLocalStorage();
+
+function withTraceId<T>(fn: () => T): T {
+  const traceId = randomUUID();
+  return asyncLocalStorage.run({ traceId }, fn);
+}
+
+function getTraceId(): string {
+  const store = asyncLocalStorage.getStore() as { traceId: string };
+  return store?.traceId || 'no-trace-id';
+}
+
+// Usage
+async function operationA() {
+  console.log(`[${getTraceId()}] Starting operation A`);
+  await operationB();
+}
+
+async function operationB() {
+  console.log(`[${getTraceId()}] Starting operation B`);
+  await operationC();
+}
+
+// Run with trace ID
+await withTraceId(async () => {
+  await operationA();
+});
+```
+
+**Output:**
+```
+[abc-123] Starting operation A
+[abc-123] Starting operation B
+[abc-123] Starting operation C
+```
+
+All operations from same call chain have same trace ID.
+
+### Debugging Race Conditions
+
+**Problem:** Operations complete in wrong order, causing bugs.
+
+**Solution: Add timing instrumentation:**
+
+```typescript
+class TimingTracer {
+  private events: Array<{ time: number; event: string; data: any }> = [];
+
+  record(event: string, data: any = {}) {
+    this.events.push({
+      time: Date.now(),
+      event,
+      data
+    });
+  }
+
+  dump() {
+    const sorted = this.events.sort((a, b) => a.time - b.time);
+    console.error('=== Timing Trace ===');
+    let start = sorted[0]?.time || 0;
+    sorted.forEach(({ time, event, data }) => {
+      console.error(`+${time - start}ms: ${event}`, data);
+      start = time;
+    });
+  }
+}
+
+// Usage
+const tracer = new TimingTracer();
+
+async function operation() {
+  tracer.record('start');
+
+  const promise1 = async1().then(() => tracer.record('async1 done'));
+  const promise2 = async2().then(() => tracer.record('async2 done'));
+
+  await Promise.all([promise1, promise2]);
+
+  tracer.record('both done');
+  tracer.dump();
+}
+```
+
+**Output shows operation order:**
+```
+=== Timing Trace ===
++0ms: start {}
++45ms: async2 done {}
++67ms: async1 done {}
++67ms: both done {}
+```
+
+Shows async2 completed before async1.
+
+## Debugging Third-Party Libraries
+
+### When Library Behavior is Unexpected
+
+**Strategy:**
+1. Verify you're using the API correctly
+2. Check library version and changelog
+3. Read library source code
+4. Add instrumentation around library calls
+
+### Wrapping Library Calls
+
+```typescript
+// Wrap library function to add tracing
+import { originalFunction } from 'third-party-lib';
+
+const tracedFunction = (...args: any[]) => {
+  console.error('Calling library function:', {
+    args,
+    stack: new Error().stack
+  });
+
+  const result = originalFunction(...args);
+
+  console.error('Library function result:', result);
+
+  return result;
+};
+
+// Use traced version
+export { tracedFunction as originalFunction };
+```
+
+### Checking Library Source
+
+**When to read library source:**
+- Documentation is unclear
+- Behavior differs from documentation
+- Need to understand edge cases
+- Debugging library bug
+
+**How to read library source:**
+```bash
+# Find library location
+npm ls third-party-lib
+
+# View source
+code node_modules/third-party-lib/src/
+
+# Or on GitHub
+open https://github.com/author/third-party-lib
+```
+
+## Environment-Specific Issues
+
+### Capturing Environment Context
+
+```typescript
+function captureEnvironment() {
+  return {
+    nodeVersion: process.version,
+    platform: process.platform,
+    arch: process.arch,
+    cwd: process.cwd(),
+    env: {
+      NODE_ENV: process.env.NODE_ENV,
+      CI: process.env.CI,
+      // Add relevant env vars
+    },
+    memory: process.memoryUsage(),
+    uptime: process.uptime()
+  };
+}
+
+// Log with every error
+try {
+  riskyOperation();
+} catch (error) {
+  console.error('Operation failed:', {
+    error,
+    environment: captureEnvironment(),
+    stack: error.stack
+  });
+  throw error;
+}
+```
+
+### Reproducing Production Issues Locally
+
+**Techniques:**
+1. **Match environment:**
+   ```bash
+   nvm use <production-node-version>
+   export NODE_ENV=production
+   ```
+
+2. **Use production data (sanitized):**
+   ```bash
+   # Dump production DB to local
+   pg_dump production_db | psql local_db
+   ```
+
+3. **Enable production logging locally:**
+   ```typescript
+   if (process.env.DEBUG_PROD) {
+     logger.level = 'debug';
+   }
+   ```
+
+4. **Replay production requests:**
+   ```typescript
+   // Log requests in production
+   app.use((req, res, next) => {
+     logger.info('Request', {
+       method: req.method,
+       url: req.url,
+       headers: req.headers,
+       body: req.body
+     });
+     next();
+   });
+
+   // Replay locally
+   const productionRequest = loadFromLogs();
+   await fetch('http://localhost:3000' + productionRequest.url, {
+     method: productionRequest.method,
+     headers: productionRequest.headers,
+     body: productionRequest.body
+   });
+   ```
+
+## Performance Profiling for Root Cause
+
+Sometimes "bug" is performance issue. Trace to find bottleneck.
+
+### Node.js Built-in Profiler
+
+```bash
+# Generate CPU profile
+node --cpu-prof app.js
+
+# Analyze with Chrome DevTools
+open chrome://inspect
+```
+
+### Custom Performance Tracing
+
+```typescript
+class PerformanceTracer {
+  private timers = new Map<string, number>();
+
+  start(label: string) {
+    this.timers.set(label, Date.now());
+  }
+
+  end(label: string): number {
+    const start = this.timers.get(label);
+    if (!start) throw new Error(`No timer: ${label}`);
+
+    const duration = Date.now() - start;
+    console.log(`${label}: ${duration}ms`);
+    this.timers.delete(label);
+    return duration;
+  }
+
+  async measure<T>(label: string, fn: () => T): Promise<T> {
+    this.start(label);
+    try {
+      return await fn();
+    } finally {
+      this.end(label);
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+// Usage
+const tracer = new PerformanceTracer();
+
+await tracer.measure('database query', async () => {
+  return await db.query('SELECT ...');
+});
+
+await tracer.measure('API call', async () => {
+  return await fetch('https://api.example.com');
+});
+```
+
+**Output:**
+```
+database query: 1243ms  ← BOTTLENECK FOUND
+API call: 89ms
+```
+
+## Summary
+
+**Stack traces:** Capture call chains with `new Error().stack`
+**Test pollution:** Use bisection to find polluting tests
+**Async tracing:** Use trace IDs and async stack traces
+**Library issues:** Wrap calls, read source, verify API usage
+**Environment issues:** Match production environment, replay requests
+**Performance:** Profile to find bottlenecks
+
+**When to use:**
+- Manual tracing hits dead end
+- Multiple async operations involved
+- Test pollution occurring
+- Race conditions or timing issues
+- Need production-level debugging