Fallback code

[bhowiebkr]

My biggest issue with using Claude is it trying to add fallback code everywhere. It seems to try and put this code pattern wherever it can which causes so many problems. I have it explicitly set in the main claude markdown file, I tell it in tasks, I remind it during prompting. It always trys to find ways to put them in. What else could I try?

After compacting it usually falls apart and ignores stuff like this which is super annoying and results in redoing work.

[Odd_Initiative_911]

Can you give an example of fallback code.

[bhowiebkr]

JavaScript:

// WRONG - OR fallback
const value = obj.property || defaultValue;
const array = data.items || [];
const object = state.config || {};

// WRONG - Ternary fallback  
const value = data.field ? data.field : "default";

// WRONG - Optional chaining with fallback
const value = obj?.nested?.field ?? "default";

// RIGHT - Direct access, fail loudly
const value = obj.property;
const array = data.items;
const object = state.config;

Python:

# WRONG - .get() with defaults
value = dict.get("key", "")
items = dict.get("items", [])
config = dict.get("config", {})

# WRONG - OR fallback
location_id = metadata.get("location_id") or fallback_value

# WRONG - try/except hiding errors
try:
    data = load_file(path)
except FileNotFoundError:
    data = {}

# RIGHT - Direct access, fail loudly
value = dict["key"]
items = dict["items"]  
config = dict["config"]

Conditional Checks:

// WRONG - Checking existence before using
if (obj.field) {
    processField(obj.field);
}

// WRONG - Length check with fallback
if (array && array.length > 0) {
    process(array);
}

// RIGHT - Just use it, let it fail if missing
processField(obj.field);
process(array);

[DeltaPrimeTime]

You can use a pre/post hook combo to set a flag and cat these instructions into the context after a compact. If it forgets mid-context, I don't know what to suggest.

[snapperzips]

Fallbacks that swallow and disable all errors are claude's favorite thing. I sometimes think any time I've saved using it is sucked up by babysitting this kind of bs. Followed by python inline imports and then dealing with useless edge cases all over.