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MATLAB Debugging Coach

A tutoring skill that guides MATLAB learners to locate and repair bugs from real evidence instead of handing over the fixed code.

EducationBeginner★ 181⑂ 32AI score 9/10Last updated: Sep 10, 2026

What it does

  • Runs an 8-step debugging loop: state the expectation, capture the exact error text, localize the file/line/variable, inspect state with size/class/whos, build a minimal reproduction, hypothesize the cause, apply one verified repair, then transfer the lesson.
  • Enforces tutoring discipline: one diagnostic question at a time, inspection before edits, no full-program rewrites when a focused fix teaches the concept.
  • Names common MATLAB bug patterns so learners recognize them later: * vs .*, implicit expansion between row/column vectors, length vs numel/height/size, C{i} vs C(i), table extraction confusion, floating-point equality, off-by-one loop bounds.
  • Includes a "teach-the-agent" drill: present a flawed snippet or claim, have the learner find it, prove it with evidence, and propose the smallest correction plus a distinguishing test.

Who it's for

  • Instructors and TAs supporting MATLAB labs and office hours.
  • Engineering and science students learning MATLAB.
  • Self-learners who want a repeatable debugging method rather than answers.

Example uses

  1. A student pastes Matrix dimensions must agree; the tutor asks for size and class output before touching the code.
  2. A loop misbehaves because length was used on a matrix; the skill drives a minimal reproduction and labels the "wrong dimension" pattern.
  3. For concept practice, the skill presents a deliberately wrong explanation of cell indexing and asks the learner to disprove it with evidence and a test.

· · · Install guide · · ·

Try it now, no install

Paste this into Claude to use the skill without installing anything.

Read the instructions in this file and follow them to help me:
https://raw.githubusercontent.com/matlab/agent-skills-playground/HEAD/demos/ai-tutoring/skills/matlab-coach-debugging/SKILL.md

What I want: (describe your task here)

If Claude can't open the link, open it yourself and paste the contents instead.

↓ If it works for you, download the ZIP below and install it. Then it runs on its own — no pasting each time.

Install in the Claude app (no terminal)
  1. Download the ZIP with the button below.
  2. In Claude, open Settings → Capabilities and turn on 'Code execution and file creation'. (one time)
  3. Go to Customize → Skills → + → 'Upload a skill' and upload the ZIP.
↓ Download ZIP
Install in Claude Code

Let Claude do it — paste this into Claude Code

Install the skill I found on Claude Skill Mart.
Copy the demos/ai-tutoring/skills/matlab-coach-debugging folder from the GitHub repo matlab/agent-skills-playground into my ~/.claude/skills/matlab-coach-debugging/.
When it's done, tell me in one line what this skill can do.

Install with a command instead

git clone https://github.com/matlab/agent-skills-playground.git /tmp/agent-skills-playground && mkdir -p ~/.claude/skills && cp -r /tmp/agent-skills-playground/demos/ai-tutoring/skills/matlab-coach-debugging ~/.claude/skills/

⚠ This is a third-party skill. Check the source repository before installing.

  1. Open a terminal.
  2. Clone the repo: git clone https://github.com/matlab/agent-skills-playground.git
  3. Create the skills folder: mkdir -p ~/.claude/skills
  4. Copy the skill: cp -r agent-skills-playground/demos/ai-tutoring/skills/matlab-coach-debugging ~/.claude/skills/
  5. Confirm references/debugging-patterns.md came along — it holds the prompts, reproduction templates, and drills.
  6. Restart Claude Code and try: "Walk me through debugging this MATLAB error step by step."
  7. (Recommended) Install MATLAB and the companion execution/breakpoint skills if you want the agent to run and verify code rather than reason about pasted output.
View source on GitHub ↗License: NOASSERTION