
Salesforce Debug Log Analysis
OfficialFreeStreamline Salesforce log troubleshooting with structured analysis.
Free · Opens the source repo
What Salesforce Debug Log Analysis does
The platform-apex-logs-debug skill is designed for developers and engineers working with Salesforce who need to perform in-depth analysis of debug logs. This skill focuses on root-cause analysis, enabling users to diagnose issues related to governor limits, stack traces, and performance bottlenecks. By following a structured workflow, users can systematically analyze log files to identify problems and recommend appropriate fixes.
When using this skill, users will start by retrieving the relevant debug logs from their Salesforce org, utilizing commands outlined in the provided CLI commands reference. The analysis is conducted in a specific order, prioritizing the entry point and transaction type, and then moving through exceptions, governor limits, and performance evidence. This methodical approach ensures that all potential issues are identified and classified by severity, allowing users to focus on critical problems first.
The skill emphasizes actionable recommendations based on log evidence, ensuring that fixes are rooted in actual data rather than speculation. Users will benefit from predefined patterns for common issues, such as SOQL in loops or CPU pressure, which guide them toward effective solutions. The output format is designed to provide clear and concise information about each issue, including what failed, where it failed, the root cause, severity, recommended fixes, and verification steps.
Overall, platform-apex-logs-debug is an essential tool for Salesforce developers who need to troubleshoot and optimize their applications effectively. It provides a clear framework for analyzing logs, diagnosing issues, and implementing solutions, making it a valuable addition to any Salesforce development workflow.
When to use it
Use this skill when analyzing Salesforce debug logs to diagnose governor limits, stack traces, and performance issues.
When not to use it
This skill is not suitable for running Apex tests or generating Apex code fixes; those tasks should be handled by other specific skills.
What you can build with it
Diagnosing a Governor Limit Issue
When a user encounters governor limits in their Salesforce application, this skill helps analyze the logs to pinpoint the exact cause and suggest optimizations.
Interpreting Stack Traces
For developers facing stack trace errors, this skill provides a structured approach to identify where the error originated and how to address it.
Optimizing SOQL Queries
When performance issues arise from repeated SOQL queries, this skill guides users through analyzing logs to find and fix inefficient query patterns.
How to install Salesforce Debug Log Analysis
View source1. Install with the skills CLI
npx skills add forcedotcom/sf-skills/platform-apex-logs-debug --agent claude-code2. Or install it manually
Download the skill folder and drop it into ~/.claude/skills/ for all projects, or .claude/skills/ to scope it to one repo. Restart Claude Code so it picks up the new skill.
Anthropic's agentic coding CLI, and the reference implementation of Agent Skills. Drop a skill folder into ~/.claude/skills and Claude Code loads it automatically whenever a task matches the skill's description. Claude Code docs
Inside SKILL.md
Written by forcedotcomplatform-apex-logs-debug: Salesforce Debug Log Analysis & Troubleshooting
Use this skill when the user needs root-cause analysis from debug logs: governor-limit diagnosis, stack-trace interpretation, slow-query investigation, heap / CPU pressure analysis, or a reproduction-to-fix loop based on log evidence.
When This Skill Owns the Task
Use platform-apex-logs-debug when the work involves:
.logfiles from Salesforce- stack traces and exception analysis
- governor limits
- SOQL / DML / CPU / heap troubleshooting
- query-plan or performance evidence extracted from logs
Delegate elsewhere when the user is:
- running or repairing Apex tests → platform-apex-test-run
- generating or implementing the code fix → platform-apex-generate
- debugging Agentforce session traces / parquet telemetry → agentforce-observe
Required Context to Gather First
Ask for or infer:
- org alias
- failing transaction / user flow / test name
- approximate timestamp or transaction window
- user / record / request ID if known
- whether the goal is diagnosis only or diagnosis + fix loop
Recommended Workflow
1. Retrieve logs
Use the commands in references/cli-commands.md to list, download, or stream logs for the target org.
2. Analyze in this order
- entry point and transaction type
- exceptions / fatal errors
- governor limits
- repeated SOQL / DML patterns
- CPU / heap hotspots
- callout timing and external failures
3. Classify severity
- Critical — runtime failure, hard limit, corruption risk
- Warning — near-limit, non-selective query, slow path
- Info — optimization opportunity or hygiene issue
4. Recommend the smallest correct fix
Prefer fixes that are:
- root-cause oriented
- bulk-safe
- testable
- easy to verify with a rerun
Expanded workflow: references/analysis-playbook.md
High-Signal Issue Patterns
| Issue | Primary signal | Default fix direction |
|---|---|---|
| SOQL in loop | repeating SOQL_EXECUTE_BEGIN in a repeated call path | query once, use maps / grouped collections |
| DML in loop | repeated DML_BEGIN patterns | collect rows, bulk DML once |
| Non-selective query | high rows scanned / poor selectivity | add indexed filters, reduce scope |
| CPU pressure | CPU usage approaching sync limit | reduce algorithmic complexity, cache, async where valid |
| Heap pressure | heap usage approaching sync limit | stream with SOQL for-loops, reduce in-memory data |
| Null pointer / fatal error | EXCEPTION_THROWN / FATAL_ERROR | guard null assumptions, fix empty-query handling |
Expanded examples: references/common-issues.md
Output Format
When finishing analysis, report in this order:
- What failed
- Where it failed (class / method / line / transaction stage)
- Why it failed (root cause, not just symptom)
- How severe it is
- Recommended fix
- Verification step
Suggested shape:
Issue: <summary>
Location: <class / line / transaction>
Root cause: <explanation>
Severity: Critical | Warning | Info
Fix: <specific action>
Verify: <test or rerun step>
Rules / Constraints
| Rule | Rationale |
|---|---|
| Always base fix recommendations on log evidence | Avoid speculative diagnosis — root cause must be traceable in the log |
| Report all six output fields for every issue found | Ensures actionable, complete findings for each problem |
| Classify every finding as Critical, Warning, or Info | Helps the user prioritize which issues to address first |
Delegate code generation to platform-apex-generate | This skill diagnoses; it does not rewrite Apex code |
Delegate test execution to platform-apex-test-run | This skill does not run or repair test classes |
Never assume limits are safe without reading LIMIT_USAGE events | Limits may be consumed by earlier operations not visible in the failure point |
Gotchas
| Pitfall | Resolution |
|---|---|
| Log truncated at 2 MB | Reduce debug levels (e.g., ApexCode: INFO, ApexProfiling: FINE) and re-capture |
| Same issue appears as both SOQL and CPU problem | Fix SOQL-in-loop first — it typically drives the CPU spike as a secondary effect |
| No logs appear after trace flag is set | Verify the trace flag ExpirationDate is in the future and the correct user is traced |
| Async context changes limit values | CPU limit is 60,000 ms async vs 10,000 ms sync — check transaction type before flagging limits |
| Stack trace points to framework line, not user code | Walk up the call stack past trigger handlers to find the originating user code |
Cross-Skill Integration
| Need | Delegate to | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Implement Apex fix | platform-apex-generate | code change generation / review |
| Reproduce via tests | platform-apex-test-run | test execution and coverage loop |
| Deploy fix | platform-metadata-deploy | deployment orchestration |
| Create debugging data | platform-data-manage | targeted seed / repro data |
Reference File Index
| File | When to read |
|---|---|
references/analysis-playbook.md | Start here — expanded step-by-step workflow for any debugging session |
references/common-issues.md | Quick lookup for SOQL in loop, DML in loop, CPU/heap pressure, null pointer patterns |
references/cli-commands.md | SF CLI commands for retrieving, streaming, and managing debug logs |
references/debug-log-reference.md | Full event type catalog, log levels, and governor limit reference values |
references/log-analysis-tools.md | Tool guide: Apex Log Analyzer, Developer Console, CLI grep patterns |
references/benchmarking-guide.md | Performance benchmarking techniques, benchmark data, and anti-patterns |
references/scoring-rubric.md | 100-point scoring rubric for evaluating analysis quality |
assets/benchmarking-template.cls | Copy-paste Anonymous Apex template for running performance benchmarks |
assets/cpu-heap-optimization.cls | Apex patterns for reducing CPU time and heap allocation |
assets/dml-in-loop-fix.cls | Before/after example for resolving DML-in-loop violations |
assets/soql-in-loop-fix.cls | Before/after example for resolving SOQL-in-loop violations |
assets/null-pointer-fix.cls | Patterns for guarding against null pointer exceptions |
Score Guide
| Score | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 90+ | Expert analysis with strong fix guidance |
| 80–89 | Good analysis with minor gaps |
| 70–79 | Acceptable but may miss secondary issues |
| 60–69 | Partial diagnosis only |
| < 60 | Incomplete analysis |
Frequently asked questions about Salesforce Debug Log Analysis
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