JuliusBrussee
Install Investigate First
Pick your agent. Every command is ready to paste.
npx skills add JuliusBrussee/caveman --skill investigate-firstThe open skills CLI detects your agents (Claude Code, Cursor, Codex and 70+ more) and installs to the right folder. Add -g to install globally.
01
Install it
Run the command above, or upload the folder in Claude.
02
Ask naturally
Describe the task. Your agent loads investigate-first when the request matches its description.
03
Name it if needed
If it does not trigger, say “use the investigate-first skill”. In Codex, type $investigate-first.
The skill itself
SKILL.md
Investigate first
Gather evidence before changing product code.
- Separate observed symptom from inferred cause.
- Trace inputs, state transitions, ownership boundaries, and failure output.
- Rank hypotheses by evidence and cheap falsification value.
- Do not edit until one credible mechanism explains evidence.
- Stop exploration when evidence is sufficient to name cause or exact blocker.
Report cause and proof. Make no fix unless task authorizes implementation.
Tips for Investigate First
- • Start a fresh session after installing so your agent picks up the new skill.
- • It is part of a pack with 22 skills. Install only the ones you need with --skill to keep triggers precise.
- • If two skills overlap, mention the one you want by name.
Questions about Investigate First
What does the Investigate First skill do?
Diagnose ambiguous failures before editing. Use for unknown causes, intermittent behavior, performance regressions, or investigations needing evidence-ranked hypotheses.
How do I install Investigate First?
Run "npx skills add JuliusBrussee/caveman --skill investigate-first" in your project. The skills CLI installs it for Claude Code, Cursor, Codex and 70+ other agents. In Claude on the web, upload the skill folder as a ZIP under Customize > Skills.
Does Investigate First work in Cursor and Codex?
Yes. Investigate First uses the open SKILL.md format, so it works in Claude Code, Claude, Cursor, OpenAI Codex, Gemini CLI, GitHub Copilot and other agents that support agent skills.
Is Investigate First free?
Investigate First is open source on GitHub under the Apache-2.0 license. It is free to install; check the license before commercial use.
Who made Investigate First?
Investigate First is published by JuliusBrussee in the JuliusBrussee/caveman repository, together with 21 other skills.
