---
name: Surgical Patch
slug: surgical-patch
category: Quality
description: Surgical Patch fixes bugs and small behavior changes at the narrowest responsible layer. Use Surgical Patch when regression proof, preserved surrounding behavior, and task-relevant tests matter.
github: "https://github.com/JuliusBrussee/caveman/tree/main/skills/surgical-patch"
language: Go
stars: 97841
forks: 5640
install: "npx degit https://github.com/JuliusBrussee/caveman/tree/main/skills/surgical-patch ~/.claude/skills/surgical-patch"
installs_to: ~/.claude/skills/surgical-patch
source_path: skills/surgical-patch/SKILL.md
collection_size: 20
category_size: 1354
collection_url: "https://dirskills.com/collections/JuliusBrussee/caveman"
added: 2026-08-13T07:35:53.192Z
last_synced: 2026-08-13T07:35:53.192Z
canonical_url: "https://dirskills.com/skills/surgical-patch"
---

# Surgical Patch

Surgical Patch fixes bugs and small behavior changes at the narrowest responsible layer. Use Surgical Patch when regression proof, preserved surrounding behavior, and task-relevant tests matter.

**Install:**

```bash
npx degit https://github.com/JuliusBrussee/caveman/tree/main/skills/surgical-patch ~/.claude/skills/surgical-patch
```

## README

# Surgical patch

Reproduce failure first when economical; otherwise capture strongest available evidence.

- Trace symptom to responsible mechanism.
- Change narrowest layer that owns incorrect behavior.
- Preserve unrelated behavior and user changes.
- Avoid cleanup, renaming, and abstraction outside fix.
- Add only regression proof relevant to task.

Run focused proof plus nearest affected gate. Stop when failure is fixed and regression proof passes.