ai-debt-detector
Use after generating code, after accepting AI suggestions, or when reviewing AI-written modules. Also use when code works but feels brittle, when error handling seems thin, when orphaned resources or missing cleanup are suspected, or when the agent claims done but hidden debt may exist. Catches the specific failure patterns AI agents produce that humans would not.
- Installs
- 3K
- Last 24h
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- Trending rank
- #4223
- Security
- Not audited
Install
Works with every agent the skills CLI supports.
npx skills add https://github.com/wshobson/agents --skill ai-debt-detector- 01
Install
Run the command in your project. The CLI asks which agents to install for.
- 02
Describe the task
Ask your agent for something this skill covers. It loads ai-debt-detector automatically when relevant.
- 03
Review the result
The agent follows the SKILL.md steps, scripts and references bundled with the skill.
SKILL.md
The instructions your agent reads when the skill is triggered.
AI Debt Detector
Overview
AI agents generate code that passes the happy path but hides debt: missing error handling, orphaned resources, ignored failure modes, hallucinated packages, silent architectural drift. This skill forces a targeted audit for the exact patterns AI agents get wrong.
When to Use
- After any AI code generation session (20+ lines produced)
- Before merging AI-generated PRs
- When code works but something feels off
- After vibe-coding sprints where debt accumulates fastest
- When the agent claims done without showing verification
Process
After code generation, scan for these AI-specific debt patterns:
-
FAILURE MODES - What happens when this fails?
- Network timeout? Disk full? Permission denied? Null input?
- Is there a try/catch? Does it catch SPECIFIC errors or swallow everything?
- Are resources cleaned up on failure? (streams closed, connections returned, temp files deleted)
-
ORPHANS - What gets created but never cleaned up?
- Temp files, event listeners, intervals, subscriptions, connections
- Are there corresponding cleanup/dispose/close calls for every open/create?
- In React: does every addEventListener have a removeEventListener in cleanup?
-
EDGE CASES - What inputs break this?
- Empty array/string? null/undefined? Multi-MB input? Unicode? Concurrent calls?
- Does the code assume the happy path? (AI almost always does)
-
HALLUCINATED DEPS - Do all imports actually exist?
- Is every package in package.json/requirements.txt?
- Are API methods real? (AI invents plausible-sounding methods that don't exist)
- Does this library's latest version still export this function?
-
ARCHITECTURAL DRIFT - Does this match the project's patterns?
- Same error handling style as existing code?
- Uses the project's established utilities (not reinventing)?
- Follows the file structure convention?
Red Flags (stop and fix immediately)
catch (e) {}orcatch (e) { console.log(e) }- swallowed error- No
finallyblock when resources were opened // TODO: handle error- AI's way of punting- Import from a path that doesn't exist in the project
- Timeout set but no abort/cleanup on timeout
- Database connection opened but never released back to pool
Common Mistakes
- Trusting that compilation means correctness (compilation checks syntax, not logic)
- Reviewing only the diff without checking what the AI did NOT generate (missing error paths)
- Assuming the AI used the right library version (it often uses deprecated APIs)
- Skipping the orphan check because garbage collection handles it (it doesn't for connections, listeners, timers)
Why This Exists
AI agents systematically optimize for "looks correct" and "passes the happy path." They miss failure modes, orphan resources, and hallucinate dependencies at rates significantly higher than manual code. This skill forces an audit for those specific blind spots.
FAQ
What does the ai-debt-detector skill do?
Use after generating code, after accepting AI suggestions, or when reviewing AI-written modules. Also use when code works but feels brittle, when error handling seems thin, when orphaned resources or missing cleanup are suspected, or when the agent claims done but hidden debt may exist. Catches the specific failure patterns AI agents produce that humans would not.
How do I install ai-debt-detector?
Run npx skills add https://github.com/wshobson/agents --skill ai-debt-detector in your project. The skills CLI detects the agents you use and copies the skill into the right folder. For Claude Code you can also place the skill folder at ~/.claude/skills/ai-debt-detector/ (personal) or .claude/skills/ai-debt-detector/ (project).
Which AI agents can use ai-debt-detector?
Any agent that supports the open Agent Skills format (a folder with a SKILL.md file), including Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, Windsurf, Cline, OpenCode and more.
Is ai-debt-detector safe to install?
No partner security audit is available yet. Skills can run commands and scripts, so read the SKILL.md and any bundled files before installing.
Who maintains ai-debt-detector?
It is published by wshobson in wshobson/agents. It has 3,031 recorded installs.
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