when-stuck
When Stuck routes you to the right problem-solving skill based on your specific stuck-symptom. Diagnose whether you're facing complexity spirals, innovation gaps, recurring patterns, flawed assumptions, scale uncertainty, or bugs—then apply the matching technique.
When Stuck helps you identify which problem-solving technique to use based on your specific stuck-symptom.
AI-generated summary based on this skill's SKILL.md
Install
PracticalSwan/agent-skills/when-stuck · repository language: Python
git clone https://github.com/PracticalSwan/agent-skills
cp -r agent-skills/when-stuck ~/.claude/skills/when-stucknpx skillfed install PracticalSwan/agent-skills/when-stuckFrequently asked questions
AI-generated answers based on this skill's SKILL.md and metadata
How do I get unstuck in coding when I don't know where to start?
When Stuck helps you diagnose your specific problem type first. Identify whether you're facing a complexity spiral (too many moving parts), an innovation gap (missing a new approach), a recurring pattern (same issue in multiple places), flawed assumptions (wrong mental model), scale uncertainty (will this work at size?), or a bug. Once diagnosed, When Stuck routes you to the matching problem-solving technique—debugging for bugs, refactoring for complexity, pattern recognition for repeats, assumption-breaking for mental blocks, or scaling validation for production readiness.
What problem-solving techniques should I use when stuck?
When Stuck identifies which technique fits your stuck-symptom. The main approaches are: debugging (for localized bugs), refactoring (for complexity spirals), pattern recognition (for recurring problems across your codebase), assumption-breaking (for innovation gaps and mental blocks), and scaling validation (for production readiness concerns). When Stuck diagnoses your situation and routes you to the right skill, or combines multiple techniques when one approach fails.
How do I decide between debugging, refactoring, or simplifying?
When Stuck routes this decision by first diagnosing your root problem. If you're chasing a specific failure, debug. If complexity is spiraling across your system, refactor. If you're stuck on the same problem in multiple places, apply pattern recognition. If your current approach feels fundamentally wrong, break through your assumptions. When Stuck's dispatch logic matches your symptom to the right technique, so you don't waste time on the wrong method.
When should I break through assumptions in code?
When Stuck flags assumption-breaking as your technique when you're stuck despite trying standard debugging or refactoring. This happens when your mental model of the problem is flawed, when you've hit an innovation gap, or when conventional solutions aren't working. When Stuck helps you recognize these blocks and guides you to inversion thinking and unconventional solution paths instead of spinning on the same approach.
How do I know if my solution will scale or if I'm stuck on edge cases?
When Stuck includes scale uncertainty and edge-case validation in its diagnosis. If you're unsure whether your solution handles production conditions, When Stuck routes you to scaling validation checks. This covers production readiness, edge cases, and whether your approach will work at real scale. When Stuck helps you distinguish between local bugs (debug), architectural problems (refactor), and scaling concerns (validate).
What is the unstuck workflow guide for when I'm stuck on a problem?
When Stuck's workflow is: first diagnose your stuck-symptom (complexity, innovation gap, patterns, assumptions, scale, or bugs), then route to the matching technique. If one approach fails, combine multiple methods. When Stuck helps you identify whether you're facing a complexity spiral, recurring pattern, flawed assumption, innovation gap, scale uncertainty, or a specific bug—then apply the right problem-solving skill instead of guessing.
SKILL.md
rendered from the published skill — quoted content, verbatim
When Stuck - Problem-Solving Dispatch
Overview
Different stuck-types need different techniques. This skill helps you quickly identify which problem-solving skill to use.
Core principle: Match stuck-symptom to technique.
Quick Dispatch
```dot digraph stuck_dispatch { rankdir=TB; node [shape=box, style=rounded];
stuck [label="You're Stuck", shape=ellipse, style=filled, fillcolor=lightblue];
complexity [label="Same thing implemented 5+ ways?\nGrowing special cases?\nExcessive if/else?"];
innovation [label="Can't find fitting approach?\nConventional solutions inadequate?\nNeed breakthrough?"];
patterns [label="Same issue in different places?\nFeels familiar across domains?\nReinventing wheels?"];
assumptions [label="Solution feels forced?\n'This must be done this way'?\nStuck on assumptions?"];
scale [label="Will this work at production?\nEdge cases unclear?\nUnsure of limits?"];
bugs [label="Code behaving wrong?\nTest failing?\nUnexpected output?"];
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when-stuck/CHANGELOG.md
when-stuck/SKILL.md