Python Debug Pattern

This skill provides a reusable pattern for debugging Python script execution failures. It ensures you capture actual tracebacks instead of opaque errors and verify the working directory before file operations.

Core Technique

1. Execute Python Scripts with Full Error Capture

When running Python scripts, always use this command pattern to surface actual tracebacks:

python3 script.py 2>&1 ; echo Exit code: $?

Why this works:

• 2>&1 redirects stderr to stdout, capturing both regular output and errors
• ; echo Exit code: $? displays the actual exit code after execution
• This reveals the full Python traceback instead of opaque failure messages

Examples:

# Good: Full error capture
python3 process_data.py 2>&1 ; echo Exit code: $?

# Bad: Opaque error (no stderr capture, no exit code)
python3 process_data.py

2. Verify Working Directory Before File Operations

Before any file read/write operations in Python, verify the current working directory:

import os

# At script start, log the working directory
print(f"Working directory: {os.getcwd()}")

# For file operations, use absolute paths or log the resolved path
file_path = "output/result.csv"
abs_path = os.path.abspath(file_path)
print(f"Writing to: {abs_path}")

Why this works:

• Many failures occur because scripts run from unexpected directories
• Logging the working directory immediately surfaces path-related issues
• Absolute paths prevent ambiguity in file operations

Full example script structure:

#!/usr/bin/env python3
import os
import sys

def main():
    # Debug: verify working directory
    print(f"Working directory: {os.getcwd()}", file=sys.stderr)
    
    # Debug: list directory contents if dealing with files
    print(f"Directory contents: {os.listdir('.')}", file=sys.stderr)
    
    # Your actual logic here
    # ...

if __name__ == "__main__":
    main()

When to Apply This Pattern

• Python script fails with an opaque error message
• File operations (read/write) fail unexpectedly
• Script works locally but fails in automated execution
• Debugging CI/CD pipeline failures
• Investigating "file not found" or permission errors

Quick Checklist

• Run script with 2>&1 ; echo Exit code: $? pattern
• Add os.getcwd() logging at script start
• Use os.path.abspath() for file paths
• Log directory contents with os.listdir('.') if relevant
• Check for missing dependencies (capture full traceback)

Common Failure Modes This Pattern Surfaces

Symptom	Without Pattern	With Pattern
File not found	"Error: failed"	Full traceback showing exact path attempted
Permission denied	Script exits silently	stderr shows permission error
Missing module	Opaque exit	ImportError with module name
Wrong directory	Confusing path errors	cwd logged, reveals directory mismatch