Code Design Rationale Investigator
cursor/plugins
Digs into why code is shaped the way it is by checking git history, pull requests and connected tools in parallel, then reporting a cited read on the tradeoffs.
Identify and handle agent failures with 0 iterations as pre-execution system issues
Install Zero Iteration Failure Analysis
$ npx skills add HKUDS/OpenSpace --skill zero-iteration-failure-analysis -a claude-codeProject install by default; add -g for ~/.claude/skills/.
$ gh skill install HKUDS/OpenSpace zero-iteration-failure-analysis --agent claude-codeProject scope by default; add --scope user for a personal install. Needs GitHub CLI 2.90.0 or later (public preview).
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/HKUDS/OpenSpace.git skills-src && mkdir -p .claude/skills && cp -r skills-src/benchmarks/gdpval/skills/zero-iteration-failure-analysis .claude/skills/zero-iteration-failure-analysis && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.claude/skills/ instead of .claude/skills for a personal install. The folder must contain SKILL.md.
Claude Code skills documentation · loads skills from .claude/skills/
Install the "zero-iteration-failure-analysis" agent skill from https://github.com/HKUDS/OpenSpace/tree/main/benchmarks/gdpval/skills/zero-iteration-failure-analysis into .claude/skills/zero-iteration-failure-analysis/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "zero-iteration-failure-analysis", then confirm the skill loads.Claude Code copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.
$skill-installer install https://github.com/HKUDS/OpenSpace/tree/main/benchmarks/gdpval/skills/zero-iteration-failure-analysisType this inside Codex. $skill-installer <name> installs a curated skill from openai/skills. The installer writes to $CODEX_HOME/skills (default ~/.codex/skills). Restart Codex if the skill does not show up.
$ npx skills add HKUDS/OpenSpace --skill zero-iteration-failure-analysis -a codexProject install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.codex/skills/.
$ gh skill install HKUDS/OpenSpace zero-iteration-failure-analysis --agent codexProject scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/HKUDS/OpenSpace.git skills-src && mkdir -p .agents/skills && cp -r skills-src/benchmarks/gdpval/skills/zero-iteration-failure-analysis .agents/skills/zero-iteration-failure-analysis && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.agents/skills/ instead of .agents/skills for a personal install.
Codex skills documentation · loads skills from .agents/skills/
Install the "zero-iteration-failure-analysis" agent skill from https://github.com/HKUDS/OpenSpace/tree/main/benchmarks/gdpval/skills/zero-iteration-failure-analysis into .agents/skills/zero-iteration-failure-analysis/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "zero-iteration-failure-analysis", then confirm the skill loads.Codex copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.
$ npx skills add HKUDS/OpenSpace --skill zero-iteration-failure-analysis -a cursorProject install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.cursor/skills/.
$ gh skill install HKUDS/OpenSpace zero-iteration-failure-analysis --agent cursorProject scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/HKUDS/OpenSpace.git skills-src && mkdir -p .cursor/skills && cp -r skills-src/benchmarks/gdpval/skills/zero-iteration-failure-analysis .cursor/skills/zero-iteration-failure-analysis && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.cursor/skills/ instead of .cursor/skills for a personal install.
Cursor skills documentation · loads skills from .cursor/skills/, .agents/skills/, .claude/skills/, .codex/skills/
Install the "zero-iteration-failure-analysis" agent skill from https://github.com/HKUDS/OpenSpace/tree/main/benchmarks/gdpval/skills/zero-iteration-failure-analysis into .cursor/skills/zero-iteration-failure-analysis/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "zero-iteration-failure-analysis", then confirm the skill loads.Cursor copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.
$ gemini skills install https://github.com/HKUDS/OpenSpace.git --path benchmarks/gdpval/skills/zero-iteration-failure-analysis--scope user (default) or --scope workspace; --path is the subfolder of the repo that holds the skill; --consent skips the security confirmation prompt.
$ npx skills add HKUDS/OpenSpace --skill zero-iteration-failure-analysis -a gemini-cliProject install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.gemini/skills/.
$ gh skill install HKUDS/OpenSpace zero-iteration-failure-analysis --agent gemini-cliProject scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/HKUDS/OpenSpace.git skills-src && mkdir -p .gemini/skills && cp -r skills-src/benchmarks/gdpval/skills/zero-iteration-failure-analysis .gemini/skills/zero-iteration-failure-analysis && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.gemini/skills/ instead of .gemini/skills for a personal install, then run /skills reload.
Gemini CLI skills documentation · loads skills from .gemini/skills/, .agents/skills/
Install the "zero-iteration-failure-analysis" agent skill from https://github.com/HKUDS/OpenSpace/tree/main/benchmarks/gdpval/skills/zero-iteration-failure-analysis into .gemini/skills/zero-iteration-failure-analysis/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "zero-iteration-failure-analysis", then confirm the skill loads.Gemini CLI copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.
$ gh skill install HKUDS/OpenSpace zero-iteration-failure-analysisInstalls for Copilot at project scope by default; add --scope user for a personal install. Preview a skill first with gh skill preview. Needs GitHub CLI 2.90.0 or later (public preview).
$ npx skills add HKUDS/OpenSpace --skill zero-iteration-failure-analysis -a github-copilotProject install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.copilot/skills/.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/HKUDS/OpenSpace.git skills-src && mkdir -p .github/skills && cp -r skills-src/benchmarks/gdpval/skills/zero-iteration-failure-analysis .github/skills/zero-iteration-failure-analysis && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.copilot/skills/ instead of .github/skills for a personal install. Commit .github/skills so cloud agent and code review can use it.
GitHub Copilot skills documentation · loads skills from .github/skills/, .claude/skills/, .agents/skills/
Install the "zero-iteration-failure-analysis" agent skill from https://github.com/HKUDS/OpenSpace/tree/main/benchmarks/gdpval/skills/zero-iteration-failure-analysis into .github/skills/zero-iteration-failure-analysis/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "zero-iteration-failure-analysis", then confirm the skill loads.GitHub Copilot copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.
$ npx skills add HKUDS/OpenSpace --skill zero-iteration-failure-analysis -a opencodeOpenCode documents no install command of its own. Project install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.config/opencode/skills/.
$ gh skill install HKUDS/OpenSpace zero-iteration-failure-analysis --agent opencodeProject scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/HKUDS/OpenSpace.git skills-src && mkdir -p .opencode/skills && cp -r skills-src/benchmarks/gdpval/skills/zero-iteration-failure-analysis .opencode/skills/zero-iteration-failure-analysis && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.config/opencode/skills/ instead of .opencode/skills for a personal install.
OpenCode skills documentation · loads skills from .opencode/skills/, .claude/skills/, .agents/skills/
Install the "zero-iteration-failure-analysis" agent skill from https://github.com/HKUDS/OpenSpace/tree/main/benchmarks/gdpval/skills/zero-iteration-failure-analysis into .opencode/skills/zero-iteration-failure-analysis/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "zero-iteration-failure-analysis", then confirm the skill loads.OpenCode copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.
Facts
- Skill name
zero-iteration-failure-analysis- GitHub stars
- 7.7k
- Token cost
- ~1.1k tokens
- SKILL.md length
- 310 words
- Files
- 2
- Skills in repo
- 199
- Repo updated
- First seen
- Licence
- MIT
At a glance
Identify and handle agent failures with 0 iterations as pre-execution system issues
- Works in 4 steps: Confirm Zero-Iteration Status → Extract Error Context → Route to Appropriate Investigation → …
- Tasks that involve Root cause analysis
- SKILL.md covers When to Apply, Identification Checklist, Failure Mode Classification and Investigation Steps, plus 5 more sections
- Instructions only: no scripts, shell commands, URLs or credentials in SKILL.md
What it does
Zero Iteration Failure Analysis is an agent skill from HKUDS/OpenSpace. Identify and handle agent failures with 0 iterations as pre-execution system issues
Its SKILL.md is about 1.1k tokens, which your agent loads only when the skill is triggered. The skill folder holds 1 other file.
It sits in Development, covering Root cause analysis. The repository describes itself as: "OpenSpace: The Skill Management Layer for AI Agents" -- https://open-space.cloud/. The licence is MIT.
When your agent uses it
- Tasks that involve Root cause analysis
Example prompts
- “/zero-iteration-failure-analysis”
Requirements
- Python 3
Workflow steps
4 steps, taken from the step headings in SKILL.md.
What it can do on your machine
Read from SKILL.md and the folder at commit 3827781. It shows what the files ask for, not the result of running them.
Tool permissions
Pre-approves nothing: there is no allowed-tools line, so your agent's usual permission prompts apply.
From allowed-tools in the SKILL.md frontmatter.
Runs code
No scripts in the folder and no shell commands in SKILL.md (its code samples are python, yaml and json).
From the folder's file list and the shell code blocks in SKILL.md.
Network
No URLs in SKILL.md.
From URLs in SKILL.md, links to its own repository left out.
Credentials
Names no API keys, tokens, secrets or passwords.
From names ending in _API_KEY, _TOKEN, _SECRET, _KEY or _PASSWORD in SKILL.md.
Context cost
Zero Iteration Failure Analysis loads about 1.1k tokens when it runs. Until then it costs about 29 tokens; SKILL.md has 310 words of instructions outside code blocks.
Estimates: characters ÷ 4, the usual rule of thumb; real counts depend on the model's tokenizer. Scripts and assets cost tokens only if the agent reads them.
Safety
Auto-check passed
The automated check found no risky patterns in SKILL.md.
Automated static check — not a guarantee. Review scripts before installing. It scans the text of SKILL.md for risky patterns (piping downloads into a shell, reading credential files, hidden Unicode, destructive commands); files beside SKILL.md are not scanned.
SKILL.md
The full file from HKUDS/OpenSpace at commit 3827781, republished under its MIT licence (© HKUDS). 310 words, ~1,113 tokens.
Download SKILL.mdSave it as
.claude/skills/zero-iteration-failure-analysis/SKILL.md (or your agent's skills folder). This skill also uses 1 other file; get the full folder from GitHub.- name
- zero-iteration-failure-analysis
- description
- Identify and handle agent failures with 0 iterations as pre-execution system issues
Zero-Iteration Failure Analysis
This skill provides a workflow for detecting and responding to agent failures that occur before any iterations are executed. These failures indicate system-level problems rather than task execution issues.
When to Apply
Use this skill when analyzing agent execution results and you observe:
- 0 iterations reported in the execution summary
- No tool invocations in the conversation log
- No artifacts created (no files, outputs, or intermediate results)
- Error message present but no agent reasoning visible
Identification Checklist
A zero-iteration failure is confirmed when ALL of the following are true:
[ ] Iteration count = 0
[ ] Tool usage count = 0
[ ] No conversation log beyond initial instruction
[ ] Error/self-report indicates failure before execution beganFailure Mode Classification
| Indicator | Failure Type | Investigation Level |
|---|---|---|
| 0 iterations, 0 tools | Pre-execution | System-level |
| 1+ iterations, error mid-task | Execution | Agent-level |
| 1+ iterations, wrong output | Reasoning | Agent-level |
Investigation Steps
Step 1: Confirm Zero-Iteration Status
def is_zero_iteration_failure(execution_result):
"""Check if failure occurred before any agent iterations."""
return (
execution_result.get('iterations', 0) == 0 and
execution_result.get('tool_calls', []) == [] and
execution_result.get('artifacts', []) == []
)Step 2: Extract Error Context
Examine any error message or self-report for clues:
- Initialization errors: Environment setup, dependency missing, config invalid
- Prompt parsing errors: Malformed instruction, missing required fields
- Resource errors: Memory limits, timeout before start, permission denied
Step 3: Route to Appropriate Investigation
IF zero-iteration failure detected:
→ Escalate to SYSTEM investigation
→ Do NOT attempt agent-level debugging
→ Check: environment, dependencies, prompt format, resource limits
ELSE:
→ Proceed with standard agent failure analysisStep 4: Document the Failure Mode
Record the failure with appropriate categorization:
failure_analysis:
type: zero-iteration
severity: high
investigation_level: system
agent_debugging_appropriate: false
recommended_actions:
- Check execution environment health
- Verify prompt/input formatting
- Review system logs for initialization errors
- Validate resource availabilityCommon Causes and Resolutions
| Cause | Symptoms | Resolution |
|---|---|---|
| Environment crash | Immediate error, no context | Restart environment, check dependencies |
| Prompt parse failure | Error mentions instruction format | Validate input schema, fix formatting |
| Resource exhaustion | Timeout or memory error before start | Increase limits, optimize initialization |
| Permission denied | Access error on startup | Check file/system permissions |
Escalation Criteria
Immediately flag for system-level review when:
- Zero-iteration failures occur repeatedly (>2 in same session)
- Error messages indicate infrastructure issues
- Multiple agents fail with same zero-iteration pattern
Example Analysis
EXECUTION SUMMARY:
- Iterations: 0
- Tools Used: None
- Artifacts: None
- Status: Failed
- Error: "Agent initialization failed: missing required config"
ANALYSIS:
✓ Zero-iteration failure detected
✓ Pre-execution failure mode confirmed
→ Action: Escalate to system investigation
→ Do NOT debug agent reasoning (no reasoning occurred)
→ Check: config loading, environment variables, initialization sequenceAnti-Patterns to Avoid
❌ Don't attempt to debug agent reasoning when 0 iterations occurred ❌ Don't assume the task instructions were unclear (agent never saw them) ❌ Don't retry with modified prompts before checking system health ❌ Don't categorize as "agent performance issue"
Integration with Failure Tracking
When logging failures, Tag zero-iteration failures distinctly:
{
"failure_id": "xyz123",
"failure_mode": "pre_execution",
"iteration_count": 0,
"requires_system_review": true,
"agent_actionable": false
}© HKUDS, MIT. Rendered from Markdown: HTML in the file is shown as text, images as links, and headings moved down two levels. Raw file
Files
SKILL.md and 1 other file in benchmarks/gdpval/skills/zero-iteration-failure-analysis of HKUDS/OpenSpace.
- SKILL.md
- .skill_id
Open the folder on GitHubat commit 3827781
Compare with similar skills
Zero Iteration Failure Analysis next to the 5 skills that share the most tags, products or categories with it. Stars are the repository's; “used in” counts other GitHub owners with a copy.
| Skill | Stars | Used in | Tokens | Auto-check | Licence | Repo updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zero Iteration Failure Analysis this skillHKUDS/OpenSpace | 7.7k | — | ~1.1k | Automated safety check: Pass | MIT | |
| Code Design Rationale Investigatorcursor/plugins | 10k | 9 repos | ~2.6k | Automated safety check: Pass | None | |
| OpenLogi macOS Permissions TriageAprilNEA/OpenLogi | 23k | — | ~2.5k | Automated safety check: Notes | Apache-2.0 | |
| Bug Finder for daisyUIsaadeghi/daisyui | 43k | — | ~2.3k | Automated safety check: Pass | MIT | |
| Root Cause Debugginggarrytan/gstack | 136k | — | ~1.4k | Automated safety check: Pass | MIT | |
| Review PRapache/shardingsphere | 21k | — | ~6.4k | Automated safety check: Pass | Apache-2.0 |
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Bug Finder for daisyUI
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Investigates suspected bugs in the daisyUI monorepo through read-only analysis, then writes a decision-ready fix plan in tmp/bugs without changing any product code.
Root Cause Debugging
garrytan/gstack
Investigates bugs, errors and stack traces in phases and requires a root-cause hypothesis to be confirmed before any fix is written.
Review PR
apache/shardingsphere
Review Apache ShardingSphere or user-authorized downstream pull requests and PR discussions from public or authorized repository evidence.
Graph-Based Bug Tracing
tirth8205/code-review-graph
Traces a bug through a code knowledge graph, following callers, callees and execution flow before opening source files, within a small token budget.
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Related
Categories
Questions about Zero Iteration Failure Analysis
What does Zero Iteration Failure Analysis do?
Identify and handle agent failures with 0 iterations as pre-execution system issues. Zero Iteration Failure Analysis is an agent skill from HKUDS/OpenSpace.
When should I use Zero Iteration Failure Analysis?
Zero Iteration Failure Analysis fits situations like: tasks that involve Root cause analysis.
How do I install Zero Iteration Failure Analysis in Claude Code?
Run `npx skills add HKUDS/OpenSpace --skill zero-iteration-failure-analysis -a claude-code`. Or copy the skill folder (benchmarks/gdpval/skills/zero-iteration-failure-analysis in HKUDS/OpenSpace) into .claude/skills/zero-iteration-failure-analysis in your project. Claude Code loads it when a task matches its description.
How do I install Zero Iteration Failure Analysis in Codex?
Run `npx skills add HKUDS/OpenSpace --skill zero-iteration-failure-analysis -a codex`. Or copy the skill folder (benchmarks/gdpval/skills/zero-iteration-failure-analysis in HKUDS/OpenSpace) into .agents/skills/zero-iteration-failure-analysis in your project. Codex loads it when a task matches its description.
Can I use Zero Iteration Failure Analysis in Cursor, Gemini CLI or GitHub Copilot?
Cursor, Gemini CLI, GitHub Copilot and OpenCode also load SKILL.md folders. With the skills CLI, run `npx skills add HKUDS/OpenSpace --skill zero-iteration-failure-analysis -a cursor` (or -a gemini-cli, github-copilot or opencode for the others). To copy it by hand, put the folder in .cursor/skills/zero-iteration-failure-analysis, .gemini/skills/zero-iteration-failure-analysis, .github/skills/zero-iteration-failure-analysis and .opencode/skills/zero-iteration-failure-analysis in your project.
What does Zero Iteration Failure Analysis need to run?
SKILL.md names no scripts, command-line tools or credentials: Zero Iteration Failure Analysis is instructions for the agent only. Our summary lists: Python 3.
Does Zero Iteration Failure Analysis access the network?
SKILL.md contains no URLs. Any network use would come from the scripts or tools the agent runs. This is read from the text; nothing was executed.
Is Zero Iteration Failure Analysis safe to install?
Our automated static check of SKILL.md found no risky patterns, such as piping downloads into a shell, reading credential files or hidden Unicode. It is not a guarantee. Review the folder before installing.
What licence does Zero Iteration Failure Analysis use?
Zero Iteration Failure Analysis is published under the MIT licence (the repository's licence). It allows redistribution, so the full SKILL.md is shown on this page.
How many tokens does Zero Iteration Failure Analysis use?
About 1.1k tokens (SKILL.md is roughly 4.5k characters). Agents keep only the skill's name and description in context until a task matches; then they load SKILL.md in full.
What are the alternatives to Zero Iteration Failure Analysis?
Skills that share tags, products or a category with Zero Iteration Failure Analysis: Code Design Rationale Investigator (cursor/plugins, 10k stars), OpenLogi macOS Permissions Triage (AprilNEA/OpenLogi, 23k stars), Bug Finder for daisyUI (saadeghi/daisyui, 43k stars) and Root Cause Debugging (garrytan/gstack, 136k stars). The comparison table on this page puts their stars, adoption, token cost, safety result and licence side by side.
Who maintains Zero Iteration Failure Analysis?
HKUDS (a GitHub organization) maintains it in HKUDS/OpenSpace, which has 7,749 GitHub stars. The repository holds 199 skills in this directory. The repository was last updated on August 12, 2026.
Source: HKUDS/OpenSpace on GitHub. Facts on this page come from the repository at the commit we read; the author's words are quoted as theirs.