Any definitive way to tell a squib from an undercharged cartridge?

I rarely EVER have problems with factory ammo. I was shooting some 9mm Winchester white box today, and had a short stroke. Recoil impulse felt different, felt more gas exit the side of the handgun and the slide only cycled about halfway back with the brass still sitting near the edge of the chamber. The bang was still there, just sounded a little different

I thought I had a squib load. I was going to disassemble and check it out, but I was almost done for the day anyway so I just packed up and went home. I thought for sure I had a round lodged in the barrel. Glad I didn't tap-rack-bang like I usually try to do, as I want malfunction drills to become second nature.

Got home, took it apart to clean it/pound out the squib round, and found the barrel clear. It was just an underpowered cartridge.

Is there any major differences in what happens between a short stroke and a squib load? I want to get to the point where if I have a malfunction, I clear it and keep shooting without even thinking about it, just like if I had to defend myself and had a malfunction. But now I'm worried that if I have a squib load, a tap-rack-bang will equal a tap-rack-loss of fingers.

Safety vs training is driving me nuts here. What is there to look for in a squib? No bang? More smoke from the chamber? Ruptured case?

Thanks

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Any definitive way to tell a squib from an undercharged cartridge?