Pester Failure Analysis
PowerShell/PowerShell
Investigates failing Pester tests in PowerShell CI jobs by following a six-step workflow from pull request status to documented fix recommendations.
Debug a failing test using an iterative logging approach, then clean up and document the learning.
Install Debug Failing Test
$ npx skills add microsoft/vscode-python-environments --skill debug-failing-test -a claude-codeProject install by default; add -g for ~/.claude/skills/.
$ gh skill install microsoft/vscode-python-environments debug-failing-test --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/microsoft/vscode-python-environments.git skills-src && mkdir -p .claude/skills && cp -r skills-src/.github/skills/debug-failing-test .claude/skills/debug-failing-test && 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 "debug-failing-test" agent skill from https://github.com/microsoft/vscode-python-environments/tree/main/.github/skills/debug-failing-test into .claude/skills/debug-failing-test/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "debug-failing-test", 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/microsoft/vscode-python-environments/tree/main/.github/skills/debug-failing-testType 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 microsoft/vscode-python-environments --skill debug-failing-test -a codexProject install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.codex/skills/.
$ gh skill install microsoft/vscode-python-environments debug-failing-test --agent codexProject scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/microsoft/vscode-python-environments.git skills-src && mkdir -p .agents/skills && cp -r skills-src/.github/skills/debug-failing-test .agents/skills/debug-failing-test && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.agents/skills/ instead of .agents/skills for a personal install.
Codex skills documentation · loads skills from .agents/skills/
Install the "debug-failing-test" agent skill from https://github.com/microsoft/vscode-python-environments/tree/main/.github/skills/debug-failing-test into .agents/skills/debug-failing-test/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "debug-failing-test", 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 microsoft/vscode-python-environments --skill debug-failing-test -a cursorProject install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.cursor/skills/.
$ gh skill install microsoft/vscode-python-environments debug-failing-test --agent cursorProject scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/microsoft/vscode-python-environments.git skills-src && mkdir -p .cursor/skills && cp -r skills-src/.github/skills/debug-failing-test .cursor/skills/debug-failing-test && 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 "debug-failing-test" agent skill from https://github.com/microsoft/vscode-python-environments/tree/main/.github/skills/debug-failing-test into .cursor/skills/debug-failing-test/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "debug-failing-test", 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/microsoft/vscode-python-environments.git --path .github/skills/debug-failing-test--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 microsoft/vscode-python-environments --skill debug-failing-test -a gemini-cliProject install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.gemini/skills/.
$ gh skill install microsoft/vscode-python-environments debug-failing-test --agent gemini-cliProject scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/microsoft/vscode-python-environments.git skills-src && mkdir -p .gemini/skills && cp -r skills-src/.github/skills/debug-failing-test .gemini/skills/debug-failing-test && 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 "debug-failing-test" agent skill from https://github.com/microsoft/vscode-python-environments/tree/main/.github/skills/debug-failing-test into .gemini/skills/debug-failing-test/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "debug-failing-test", 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 microsoft/vscode-python-environments debug-failing-testInstalls 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 microsoft/vscode-python-environments --skill debug-failing-test -a github-copilotProject install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.copilot/skills/.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/microsoft/vscode-python-environments.git skills-src && mkdir -p .github/skills && cp -r skills-src/.github/skills/debug-failing-test .github/skills/debug-failing-test && 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 "debug-failing-test" agent skill from https://github.com/microsoft/vscode-python-environments/tree/main/.github/skills/debug-failing-test into .github/skills/debug-failing-test/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "debug-failing-test", 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 microsoft/vscode-python-environments --skill debug-failing-test -a opencodeOpenCode documents no install command of its own. Project install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.config/opencode/skills/.
$ gh skill install microsoft/vscode-python-environments debug-failing-test --agent opencodeProject scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/microsoft/vscode-python-environments.git skills-src && mkdir -p .opencode/skills && cp -r skills-src/.github/skills/debug-failing-test .opencode/skills/debug-failing-test && 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 "debug-failing-test" agent skill from https://github.com/microsoft/vscode-python-environments/tree/main/.github/skills/debug-failing-test into .opencode/skills/debug-failing-test/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "debug-failing-test", 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
debug-failing-test- GitHub stars
- 141
- Token cost
- ~780 tokens
- SKILL.md length
- 365 words
- Files
- 1
- Skills in repo
- 9
- Repo updated
- First seen
- Licence
- MIT
At a glance
Debug a failing test using an iterative logging approach, then clean up and document the learning.
- Works in 5 steps: Initial Assessment → Iterative Debugging Loop → Fix and Verify → …
- Tasks that involve Failing and flaky tests
- SKILL.md covers Workflow, Logging Conventions, Example Debug Session and Notes
- Instructions only: no scripts, shell commands, URLs or credentials in SKILL.md
What it does
Debug Failing Test is an agent skill from microsoft/vscode-python-environments, published by the product's own GitHub organization. Debug a failing test using an iterative logging approach, then clean up and document the learning.
Its SKILL.md is about 780 tokens, which your agent loads only when the skill is triggered. It is a single SKILL.md file with no bundled scripts.
It sits in Testing & QA, covering Failing and flaky tests and Debugging. The repository describes itself as: VS Code extension for Python environment and package management. The licence is MIT.
When your agent uses it
- Tasks that involve Failing and flaky tests
- Tasks that involve Debugging
Example prompts
- “/debug-failing-test”
Workflow steps
5 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 e4f9939. 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 typescript).
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
Debug Failing Test loads about 780 tokens when it runs. Until then it costs about 29 tokens; SKILL.md has 365 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 microsoft/vscode-python-environments at commit e4f9939, republished under its MIT licence (© microsoft). 365 words, ~780 tokens.
Download SKILL.mdSave it as
.claude/skills/debug-failing-test/SKILL.md (or your agent's skills folder).- name
- debug-failing-test
- description
- Debug a failing test using an iterative logging approach, then clean up and document the learning.
Debug a failing unit test by iteratively adding verbose logging, running the test, and analyzing the output until the root cause is found and fixed.
Workflow
Phase 1: Initial Assessment
- Run the failing test to capture the current error message and stack trace
- Read the test file to understand what is being tested
- Read the source file being tested to understand the expected behavior
- Identify the assertion that fails and what values are involved
Phase 2: Iterative Debugging Loop
Repeat until the root cause is understood:
Add verbose logging around the suspicious code:
- Use
console.log('[DEBUG]', ...)with descriptive labels - Log input values, intermediate states, and return values
- Log before/after key operations
- Add timestamps if timing might be relevant
- Use
Run the test and capture output
Assess the logging output:
- What values are unexpected?
- Where does the behavior diverge from expectations?
- What additional logging would help narrow down the issue?
Decide next action:
- If root cause is clear → proceed to fix
- If more information needed → add more targeted logging and repeat
Phase 3: Fix and Verify
- Implement the fix based on findings
- Run the test to verify it passes
- Run related tests to ensure no regressions
Show full SKILL.md (161 more words)Show less
Phase 4: Clean Up
Remove ALL debugging artifacts:
- Delete all
console.log('[DEBUG]', ...)statements added - Remove any temporary variables or code added for debugging
- Ensure the code is in a clean, production-ready state
- Delete all
Verify the test still passes after cleanup
Phase 5: Document and Learn
Provide a summary to the user (1-3 sentences):
- What was the bug?
- What was the fix?
Record the learning by following the learning instructions (if you have them):
- Extract a single, clear learning from this debugging session
- Add it to the "Learnings" section of the most relevant instruction file
- If a similar learning already exists, increment its counter instead
Logging Conventions
When adding debug logging, use this format for easy identification and removal:
console.log('[DEBUG] <location>:', <value>);
console.log('[DEBUG] before <operation>:', { input, state });
console.log('[DEBUG] after <operation>:', { result, state });Example Debug Session
// Added logging example:
console.log('[DEBUG] getEnvironments input:', { workspaceFolder });
const envs = await manager.getEnvironments(workspaceFolder);
console.log('[DEBUG] getEnvironments result:', { count: envs.length, envs });Notes
- Prefer targeted logging over flooding the output
- Start with the failing assertion and work backwards
- Consider async timing issues, race conditions, and mock setup problems
- Check that mocks are returning expected values
- Verify test setup/teardown is correct
© microsoft, MIT. Rendered from Markdown: HTML in the file is shown as text, images as links, and headings moved down two levels. Raw file
Files
Just SKILL.md in .github/skills/debug-failing-test of microsoft/vscode-python-environments.
Open the folder on GitHubat commit e4f9939
Compare with similar skills
Debug Failing Test 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Debug Failing Test this skillmicrosoft/vscode-python-environments | 141 | — | ~780 | Automated safety check: Pass | MIT | |
| Pester Failure AnalysisPowerShell/PowerShell | 56k | — | ~5.1k | Automated safety check: Pass | MIT | |
| Testingkortix-ai/suna | 20k | — | ~3.6k | Automated safety check: Notes | Custom licence | |
| OpenLogi Change VerificationAprilNEA/OpenLogi | 23k | — | ~1.4k | Automated safety check: Pass | Apache-2.0 | |
| RustPython Test Failure InvestigationRustPython/RustPython | 22k | — | ~467 | Automated safety check: Pass | MIT | |
| Issue To Regression Testbrunosabot/streamline-card | 269 | — | ~529 | Automated safety check: Pass | MIT |
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Related
Categories
Questions about Debug Failing Test
What does Debug Failing Test do?
Debug a failing test using an iterative logging approach, then clean up and document the learning. Debug Failing Test is an agent skill from microsoft/vscode-python-environments, published by the product's own GitHub organization. Debug a failing test using an iterative logging approach, then clean up and document the learning.
When should I use Debug Failing Test?
Debug Failing Test fits situations like: tasks that involve Failing and flaky tests; tasks that involve Debugging.
How do I install Debug Failing Test in Claude Code?
Run `npx skills add microsoft/vscode-python-environments --skill debug-failing-test -a claude-code`. Or copy the skill folder (.github/skills/debug-failing-test in microsoft/vscode-python-environments) into .claude/skills/debug-failing-test in your project. Claude Code loads it when a task matches its description.
How do I install Debug Failing Test in Codex?
Run `npx skills add microsoft/vscode-python-environments --skill debug-failing-test -a codex`. Or copy the skill folder (.github/skills/debug-failing-test in microsoft/vscode-python-environments) into .agents/skills/debug-failing-test in your project. Codex loads it when a task matches its description.
Can I use Debug Failing Test 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 microsoft/vscode-python-environments --skill debug-failing-test -a cursor` (or -a gemini-cli, github-copilot or opencode for the others). To copy it by hand, put the folder in .cursor/skills/debug-failing-test, .gemini/skills/debug-failing-test, .github/skills/debug-failing-test and .opencode/skills/debug-failing-test in your project.
What does Debug Failing Test need to run?
SKILL.md names no scripts, command-line tools or credentials: Debug Failing Test is instructions for the agent only.
Does Debug Failing Test 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 Debug Failing Test 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 Debug Failing Test use?
Debug Failing Test 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 Debug Failing Test use?
About 780 tokens (SKILL.md is roughly 3.1k 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 Debug Failing Test?
Skills that share tags, products or a category with Debug Failing Test: Pester Failure Analysis (PowerShell/PowerShell, 56k stars), Testing (kortix-ai/suna, 20k stars), OpenLogi Change Verification (AprilNEA/OpenLogi, 23k stars) and RustPython Test Failure Investigation (RustPython/RustPython, 22k stars). The comparison table on this page puts their stars, adoption, token cost, safety result and licence side by side.
Who maintains Debug Failing Test?
microsoft (a GitHub organization, an official publisher) maintains it in microsoft/vscode-python-environments, which has 141 GitHub stars. The repository holds 9 skills in this directory. The repository was last updated on October 8, 2026.
Source: microsoft/vscode-python-environments on GitHub. Facts on this page come from the repository at the commit we read; the author's words are quoted as theirs.