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Evidence-First Debugging

Distribution kills assumption

The debugging discipline that turns a 2-hour fix into a 30-second one. Pull the data before designing the fix. Hypothesis-driven queries. Multi-checkpoint verification. The exact workflow that Knox used to diagnose the Hermes calibrator problem in 60 seconds of SQL.

4 lessons~27 min total

Lessons are shown in recommended order. Complete them in sequence for the best experience — or jump to any lesson.

Lesson 269·7 min read

Pull the Data First

The hinge moment of the session. Knox paused a spec-writing detour and said 'pull the 64 signals first.' The 89% calibrator-zero rate made the fix obvious in 60 seconds. Distribution kills assumption — and the cheapest debugging move is the query you run before designing the fix.

Lesson 270·7 min read

Hypothesis-Driven SQL

Write queries that test assumptions, not confirm them. The SELECT that surfaced the 89% calibrator-zero rate had one job: answer a specific question about distribution. Templates for component-distribution queries that make bugs obvious.

Lesson 271·7 min read

Multi-Checkpoint Verification

The wallet debugging case required four sources to agree: the derived EOA from the key, the configured expected wallet, the on-chain USDC.e balance, and the CLOB-reported balance. Any mismatch is a red flag. The discipline of cross-checking independent sources before trusting any single one.

Lesson 272·6 min read

Screenshot as Forensic Evidence

When a wallet screenshot beats an RPC call. The Hermes wallet mismatch resolved in 30 seconds once the user sent a Metamask screenshot showing the funded address. Why visual evidence from trusted UIs short-circuits hours of code spelunking — and when to ask for it.