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debugging-lambda-timeouts

Debugs AWS Lambda function timeout failures by systematically analyzing function configuration, CloudWatch logs and metrics, VPC/networking, cold starts, memory constraints, and downstream dependencies to identify root causes with actionable fixes. Use when a Lambda function is timing out or approaching its timeout limit.

69

Quality

85%

Does it follow best practices?

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SecuritybySnyk

Passed

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SKILL.md
Quality
Evals
Security

Quality

Content

78%Weight 40%Scale 1-5

Reviews the quality of instructions and guidance provided to agents. Good implementation is clear, handles edge cases, and produces reliable results.

A well-structured instructional skill body: it stays lean, delegates the detailed procedure to a single real reference file with a clear link, and provides a concrete troubleshooting section with an executable AWS CLI command. The main improvement areas are minor — trimming the Overview that duplicates the description and surfacing one or two key validation steps from the SOP inline.

DimensionReasoningScore

Conciseness

The body is lean (~48 lines), assumes competence, and never explains Lambda/CloudWatch basics — e.g., troubleshooting entries go straight to "Verify the function name and region. Use `aws lambda list-functions --region <region>`". The Overview paragraph largely restates the frontmatter description, which is a minor instance of over-explanation that could be trimmed, keeping this at anchor 4 rather than 5.

4 / 5

Actionability

Guidance is mostly executable: a concrete, copy-paste-ready CLI command ("aws lambda list-functions --region <region>"), specific verification directives ("Verify AWS credentials have permissions for Lambda, CloudWatch Logs, and CloudWatch Metrics"), and an unambiguous delegation to a real, detailed procedure file. It falls short of anchor 5 only because the main section is a pointer rather than containing the common-case commands inline.

4 / 5

Workflow Clarity

The workflow is clear and single-purpose: confirm inputs, "follow the procedure exactly" via the referenced SOP, then consult four named troubleshooting scenarios for failure recovery — a rough feedback path for error recovery. The sequenced steps and parameter validation live in the referenced procedure (verified present), but the body itself does not surface explicit validation checkpoints, so it matches anchor 4 rather than 5.

4 / 5

Progressive Disclosure

The body is a concise overview with one clearly signaled, one-level-deep reference — "See [Lambda timeout debugging procedure](references/lambda-timeout-debugging.md)" — and the referenced file exists in the bundle (16KB, no further nested references). Content is appropriately split between inline troubleshooting and the detailed SOP, matching the clear-overview anchor.

5 / 5

Total

17

/

20

Passed

Description

92%Weight 40%Scale 1-5

Based on the skill's description, can an agent find and select it at the right time? Clear, specific descriptions lead to better discovery.

A strong, well-scoped description: it states concrete capabilities in third person, explicitly defines both what it does and when to use it, and carves out a distinct niche. The only gap is minor — a few natural synonym phrasings for timeout failures (e.g., 'times out', 'Task timed out') would round out trigger coverage.

DimensionReasoningScore

Specificity

The description enumerates concrete analysis targets — "function configuration, CloudWatch logs and metrics, VPC/networking, cold starts, memory constraints, and downstream dependencies" — plus a concrete outcome ("identify root causes with actionable fixes"), matching the comprehensive multi-action anchor. Nothing is padded or generic, and it uses third person ("Debugs"), so it is not the level-4 anchor with coverage gaps.

5 / 5

Completeness

Both questions are answered explicitly: what it does ("Debugs AWS Lambda function timeout failures by systematically analyzing...") and when to use it ("Use when a Lambda function is timing out or approaching its timeout limit") with two concrete trigger conditions. The 'Use when' clause is present and specific, so the level-3 cap does not apply, and the trigger guidance is concrete rather than the vaguer 'when' of anchor 4.

5 / 5

Trigger Term Quality

Natural phrasings users would actually say are present — "Lambda function is timing out", "approaching its timeout limit", "AWS Lambda" — giving good keyword coverage, but a few natural variants are missing (e.g., "times out", "Task timed out" error phrasing, invocation limits). It is above the 'some relevant keywords' anchor (3) yet short of the comprehensive synonym coverage of anchor 5.

4 / 5

Distinctiveness Conflict Risk

It occupies a clear niche — AWS Lambda timeout debugging — with triggers ("timing out", "approaching its timeout limit") that are specific to this skill and unlikely to fire for general AWS, CloudWatch, or debugging skills. Minimal conflict risk, matching the anchor-5 example's clear-niche pattern.

5 / 5

Total

19

/

20

Passed

Validation

93%

Checks the skill against the spec for correct structure and formatting. All validation checks must pass before discovery and implementation can be scored.

Validation — 15 / 16 Passed

Validation for skill structure

CriteriaDescriptionResult

frontmatter_unknown_keys

Unknown frontmatter key(s) found; consider removing or moving to metadata

Warning

Total

15

/

16

Passed

Repository
aws/agent-toolkit-for-aws
Reviewed

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