Root Cause Investigation
garrytan/gstack
Debugs in four phases (investigate, analyze, hypothesize, implement) under one rule: no fix is made until the root cause is found.
A skill your agent uses when search or investigation could run forever.
MITAuto-check passed
Install Thinking Bounded Rationality
$ npx skills add tjboudreaux/cc-thinking-skills --skill thinking-bounded-rationality -a claude-codeProject install by default; add -g for ~/.claude/skills/.
$ gh skill install tjboudreaux/cc-thinking-skills thinking-bounded-rationality --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/tjboudreaux/cc-thinking-skills.git skills-src && mkdir -p .claude/skills && cp -r skills-src/skills/thinking-bounded-rationality .claude/skills/thinking-bounded-rationality && 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 "thinking-bounded-rationality" agent skill from https://github.com/tjboudreaux/cc-thinking-skills/tree/main/skills/thinking-bounded-rationality into .claude/skills/thinking-bounded-rationality/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "thinking-bounded-rationality", 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/tjboudreaux/cc-thinking-skills/tree/main/skills/thinking-bounded-rationalityType 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 tjboudreaux/cc-thinking-skills --skill thinking-bounded-rationality -a codexProject install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.codex/skills/.
$ gh skill install tjboudreaux/cc-thinking-skills thinking-bounded-rationality --agent codexProject scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/tjboudreaux/cc-thinking-skills.git skills-src && mkdir -p .agents/skills && cp -r skills-src/skills/thinking-bounded-rationality .agents/skills/thinking-bounded-rationality && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.agents/skills/ instead of .agents/skills for a personal install.
Codex skills documentation · loads skills from .agents/skills/
Install the "thinking-bounded-rationality" agent skill from https://github.com/tjboudreaux/cc-thinking-skills/tree/main/skills/thinking-bounded-rationality into .agents/skills/thinking-bounded-rationality/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "thinking-bounded-rationality", 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 tjboudreaux/cc-thinking-skills --skill thinking-bounded-rationality -a cursorProject install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.cursor/skills/.
$ gh skill install tjboudreaux/cc-thinking-skills thinking-bounded-rationality --agent cursorProject scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/tjboudreaux/cc-thinking-skills.git skills-src && mkdir -p .cursor/skills && cp -r skills-src/skills/thinking-bounded-rationality .cursor/skills/thinking-bounded-rationality && 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 "thinking-bounded-rationality" agent skill from https://github.com/tjboudreaux/cc-thinking-skills/tree/main/skills/thinking-bounded-rationality into .cursor/skills/thinking-bounded-rationality/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "thinking-bounded-rationality", 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/tjboudreaux/cc-thinking-skills.git --path skills/thinking-bounded-rationality--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 tjboudreaux/cc-thinking-skills --skill thinking-bounded-rationality -a gemini-cliProject install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.gemini/skills/.
$ gh skill install tjboudreaux/cc-thinking-skills thinking-bounded-rationality --agent gemini-cliProject scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/tjboudreaux/cc-thinking-skills.git skills-src && mkdir -p .gemini/skills && cp -r skills-src/skills/thinking-bounded-rationality .gemini/skills/thinking-bounded-rationality && 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 "thinking-bounded-rationality" agent skill from https://github.com/tjboudreaux/cc-thinking-skills/tree/main/skills/thinking-bounded-rationality into .gemini/skills/thinking-bounded-rationality/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "thinking-bounded-rationality", 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 tjboudreaux/cc-thinking-skills thinking-bounded-rationalityInstalls 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 tjboudreaux/cc-thinking-skills --skill thinking-bounded-rationality -a github-copilotProject install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.copilot/skills/.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/tjboudreaux/cc-thinking-skills.git skills-src && mkdir -p .github/skills && cp -r skills-src/skills/thinking-bounded-rationality .github/skills/thinking-bounded-rationality && 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 "thinking-bounded-rationality" agent skill from https://github.com/tjboudreaux/cc-thinking-skills/tree/main/skills/thinking-bounded-rationality into .github/skills/thinking-bounded-rationality/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "thinking-bounded-rationality", 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 tjboudreaux/cc-thinking-skills --skill thinking-bounded-rationality -a opencodeOpenCode documents no install command of its own. Project install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.config/opencode/skills/.
$ gh skill install tjboudreaux/cc-thinking-skills thinking-bounded-rationality --agent opencodeProject scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/tjboudreaux/cc-thinking-skills.git skills-src && mkdir -p .opencode/skills && cp -r skills-src/skills/thinking-bounded-rationality .opencode/skills/thinking-bounded-rationality && 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 "thinking-bounded-rationality" agent skill from https://github.com/tjboudreaux/cc-thinking-skills/tree/main/skills/thinking-bounded-rationality into .opencode/skills/thinking-bounded-rationality/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "thinking-bounded-rationality", 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
thinking-bounded-rationality- GitHub stars
- 1.6k
- Token cost
- ~703 tokens
- SKILL.md length
- 337 words
- Files
- 1
- Skills in repo
- 26
- Repo updated
- First seen
- Licence
- MIT
At a glance
A skill your agent uses when search or investigation could run forever.
- Works in 6 steps: State decision and budget. Name the… → Set aspiration before searching. Write… → Search sequentially. Score options in… → …
- Investigation could run forever
- SKILL.md covers When to Use, When NOT to Use, Procedure and Output, plus 1 more section
- Instructions only: no scripts, shell commands, URLs or credentials in SKILL.md
What it does
Thinking Bounded Rationality is an agent skill from tjboudreaux/cc-thinking-skills. Use when search or investigation could run forever. Set an explicit good-enough threshold first, then stop at the first option that clears it.
Its SKILL.md is about 700 tokens, which your agent loads only when the skill is triggered. It is a single SKILL.md file with no bundled scripts.
The repository describes itself as: 28 eval-informed mental models and critical-thinking skills for Claude Code, GitHub Copilot, Codex, Cursor, and other Agent Skills-compatible tools. The licence is MIT.
When your agent uses it
- Investigation could run forever
Example prompts
- “/thinking-bounded-rationality”
Workflow steps
6 steps, taken from the first numbered list in SKILL.md.
- State decision and budget. Name the choice, residual tool/context/time budget, and reversibility.
- Set aspiration before searching. Write concrete pass/fail criteria for "good enough." Do not evaluate until the threshold is explicit.
- Search sequentially. Score options in encounter order against the threshold only. Skip full matrices unless step 1 marked…
- Stop at first adequate. When an option clears every criterion, select it immediately.
- Handle search failure without moving the goalposts. If nothing clears after the pre-set cap, preserve the threshold and report no adequate…
- Commit. Record choice and residual uncertainty; spend remaining budget on execution, not re-ranking.
What it can do on your machine
Read from SKILL.md and the folder at commit 7b8fece. 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.
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
Thinking Bounded Rationality loads about 703 tokens when it runs. Until then it costs about 43 tokens; SKILL.md has 337 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 tjboudreaux/cc-thinking-skills at commit 7b8fece, republished under its MIT licence (© tjboudreaux). 337 words, ~703 tokens.
Download SKILL.mdSave it as
.claude/skills/thinking-bounded-rationality/SKILL.md (or your agent's skills folder).- name
- thinking-bounded-rationality
- description
- Use when search or investigation could run forever. Set an explicit good-enough threshold first, then stop at the first option that clears it.
- disable-model-invocation
- true
Bounded Rationality
Under finite tool, context, and time budgets, stop at the first option that meets a predeclared aspiration level. Optimize only when the good-to-best gap is worth the remaining budget.
When to Use
- Search or option comparison has no natural endpoint and could consume the turn budget.
- Multiple options would clear the requirement and further comparison has diminishing returns.
- The decision is reversible or low-stakes relative to more search.
- You are gathering context beyond what the decision needs to ship.
When NOT to Use
- Irreversible or high-stakes choices (data loss, security, migrations, public commitments) where the good-to-best gap is material.
- Correctness gates: tests, security checks, and "did the fix work?" need the right answer, not a sufficient-looking one.
- One cheap lookup would settle the fact — do it; do not satisfice past it.
- The aspiration level cannot be stated — clarify the requirement first.
Procedure
- State decision and budget. Name the choice, residual tool/context/time budget, and reversibility.
- Set aspiration before searching. Write concrete pass/fail criteria for "good enough." Do not evaluate until the threshold is explicit.
- Search sequentially. Score options in encounter order against the threshold only. Skip full matrices unless step 1 marked high-stakes/irreversible.
- Stop at first adequate. When an option clears every criterion, select it immediately.
- Handle search failure without moving the goalposts. If nothing clears after the pre-set cap, preserve the threshold and report no adequate option. Relax only a criterion predeclared as non-load-bearing, record the relaxation, and resume within a new cap; never raise the bar after failure.
- Commit. Record choice and residual uncertainty; spend remaining budget on execution, not re-ranking.
Stop condition: First option meets the predeclared aspiration level, or the search cap is exhausted with none adequate.
Output
Decision: <choice>
Aspiration: <pass/fail criteria>
Search: evaluated N; stopped at first adequate | cap exhausted
Selected: <option or none>
Residual risk: <what further search might change>
Next spend: <execution step>Verification
- Falsify if you kept comparing after an option cleared the threshold, or invented the threshold after seeing winners.
- Falsify if a correctness gate or irreversible decision was treated as satisficeable.
- Over-application guard: if one cheap check settles a fact, look it up — do not invoke this skill.
© tjboudreaux, 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 skills/thinking-bounded-rationality of tjboudreaux/cc-thinking-skills.
Open the folder on GitHubat commit 7b8fece
Compare with similar skills
Thinking Bounded Rationality 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thinking Bounded Rationality this skilltjboudreaux/cc-thinking-skills | 1.6k | — | ~703 | Automated safety check: Pass | MIT | |
| Root Cause Investigationgarrytan/gstack | 136k | — | ~12k | Automated safety check: Notes | MIT | |
| Osint Investigationaffaan-m/ECC | 276k | — | ~5.7k | Automated safety check: Pass | CC-BY-SA-4.0 | |
| Investigate CIClickHouse/ClickHouse | 50k | — | ~11k | Automated safety check: Notes | Apache-2.0 | |
| Investigate Issuevideojs/video.js | 40k | — | ~318 | Automated safety check: Pass | Custom licence | |
| Investigating ReplayPostHog/posthog | 40k | — | ~2.4k | Automated safety check: Pass | Custom licence |
Similar skills
Osint Investigation
affaan-m/ECC
Sparse-clue OSINT investigation methodology for extracting overlooked leads, connecting fragmented evidence, and testing explanations across sources.
Investigate CI
ClickHouse/ClickHouse
Investigate a ClickHouse CI failure end-to-end from a PR or S3 report URL.
Investigate Issue
videojs/video.js
Investigate GitHub issues without changing code. An agent skill from videojs/video.js.
- Official
Investigating Replay
PostHog/posthog
Investigates a session recording by gathering metadata, person profile, same-session events, and linked error tracking issues in one pass.
- Official
Investigating Logs
PostHog/posthog
Investigate logs in a PostHog project: verify a service or deployment is healthy, explain an error spike, triage an incident, or understand what a log stream is saying.
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Questions about Thinking Bounded Rationality
What does Thinking Bounded Rationality do?
A skill your agent uses when search or investigation could run forever. Thinking Bounded Rationality is an agent skill from tjboudreaux/cc-thinking-skills. Use when search or investigation could run forever.
When should I use Thinking Bounded Rationality?
Thinking Bounded Rationality fits situations like: investigation could run forever.
How do I install Thinking Bounded Rationality in Claude Code?
Run `npx skills add tjboudreaux/cc-thinking-skills --skill thinking-bounded-rationality -a claude-code`. Or copy the skill folder (skills/thinking-bounded-rationality in tjboudreaux/cc-thinking-skills) into .claude/skills/thinking-bounded-rationality in your project. Claude Code loads it when a task matches its description.
How do I install Thinking Bounded Rationality in Codex?
Run `npx skills add tjboudreaux/cc-thinking-skills --skill thinking-bounded-rationality -a codex`. Or copy the skill folder (skills/thinking-bounded-rationality in tjboudreaux/cc-thinking-skills) into .agents/skills/thinking-bounded-rationality in your project. Codex loads it when a task matches its description.
Can I use Thinking Bounded Rationality 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 tjboudreaux/cc-thinking-skills --skill thinking-bounded-rationality -a cursor` (or -a gemini-cli, github-copilot or opencode for the others). To copy it by hand, put the folder in .cursor/skills/thinking-bounded-rationality, .gemini/skills/thinking-bounded-rationality, .github/skills/thinking-bounded-rationality and .opencode/skills/thinking-bounded-rationality in your project.
What does Thinking Bounded Rationality need to run?
SKILL.md names no scripts, command-line tools or credentials: Thinking Bounded Rationality is instructions for the agent only.
Does Thinking Bounded Rationality 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 Thinking Bounded Rationality 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 Thinking Bounded Rationality use?
Thinking Bounded Rationality 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 Thinking Bounded Rationality use?
About 703 tokens (SKILL.md is roughly 2.8k 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 Thinking Bounded Rationality?
Skills that share tags, products or a category with Thinking Bounded Rationality: Root Cause Investigation (garrytan/gstack, 136k stars), Osint Investigation (affaan-m/ECC, 276k stars), Investigate CI (ClickHouse/ClickHouse, 50k stars) and Investigate Issue (videojs/video.js, 40k stars). The comparison table on this page puts their stars, adoption, token cost, safety result and licence side by side.
Who maintains Thinking Bounded Rationality?
tjboudreaux (a GitHub user) maintains it in tjboudreaux/cc-thinking-skills, which has 1,613 GitHub stars. The repository holds 26 skills in this directory. The repository was last updated on August 7, 2026.
Source: tjboudreaux/cc-thinking-skills on GitHub. Facts on this page come from the repository at the commit we read; the author's words are quoted as theirs.