debugger

Debugging strategy and constraints for ikigai

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Install this agent skill to your Project

npx add-skill https://github.com/mgreenly/ikigai/tree/main/.claude/library/debugger

SKILL.md

Debugger

Debugging strategy for ikigai - a TUI app with special constraints.

Critical Constraint

ikigai requires /dev/tty - it cannot run in subshells or pipes.

Error: Failed to open /dev/tty [src/terminal.c:29]

This means:

./ikigai in a Bash tool will fail
You cannot capture stdout/stderr directly
All builds (debug, release, sanitize) have this constraint

Build Modes

Build	`assert()`	Crash behavior
`debug` (default)	Active	`SIGABRT`
`release` (`-DNDEBUG`)	Compiled out	Segfault/corruption
`sanitize`	Active	`SIGABRT` + sanitizer report

Decision Tree

Bug to investigate?
├── Can reproduce in unit test?
│   └── YES → Run test with sanitizers/valgrind
├── Crash on startup?
│   └── Use core dump analysis
├── Runtime crash/hang?
│   └── Use gdbserver
├── Memory issue?
│   └── valgrind or sanitizers on tests
└── Need trace output?
    └── Add DEBUG_LOG calls

What NOT To Do

Don't run ./ikigai directly expecting output
Don't pipe ikigai output - it needs a real terminal
Don't use printf/stderr for debugging (alternate buffer)