---
name: backprop
description: >
  Record a meaningful behavioral bug and its prevention in an existing SPEC.md when using the spec workflow or explicitly asked to backprop. Use ordinary debugging for bugs in projects without a spec.
scope: global
---

# Bug feedback

1. Establish expected behavior and reproduce or otherwise demonstrate the failure.
   Inspect the cause; use focused debugging probes instead of speculative fixes.
2. If `SPEC.md` exists, append a concise §B record. Add or amend a §V invariant
   only when it expresses a useful behavioral rule not already covered. Preserve
   monotonically numbered IDs and relevant interface/task references.
3. Add regression coverage for the meaningful failure when practical, then apply
   the smallest fix. For non-automatable failures, preserve reproduction steps and
   the evidence instead of inventing a test.
4. Run the relevant checks under [shared verification](../../protocols/workflow.md#verification).
   Report the cause, fix, and evidence.

`backprop` owns §B and bug-related §V amendments. Use `spec` for changes to goals,
constraints, or interfaces. Do not create or distill a spec as a prerequisite to a
bug fix. If explicitly requested without a spec, provide the feedback record with
the fix and explain that no spec was updated. Typos and transient outages need no
new invariant, regression test, or mandatory commit.