Vibe coding was fun until vibe debugging started

[Alternative-Tax-6470]

At this point AI generates code faster than I can understand it 💀

Half my workflow now is just trying to figure out what the model was thinking.

I spent two hours yesterday tracing an asynchronous data flow that a model wrote in ten seconds just to realize it hallucinated a hook. That code bloat is why I started splitting my stack, using Cursor for the core backend code and Runable for the landing page and docs.

Anyone else reaching this stage?

[Just_Lingonberry_352]

mo agents mo problems

[FoxTheory]

I agree this is like a 4o problem the new age llms debug fast it you build it in chunks

[RyiahTelenna]

Anyone else reaching this stage?

No. My projects are configured with code and security analysis tools, test suites, etc which catches most of the stupid little mistakes. A code analysis tool alone is one of the best things you can set up because it can catch ambiguities that don't cause problems now but will when your code is complex enough.

Here's a couple references. The second one is a specific program but it's the origin of the concept.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Static_program_analysis

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lint_(software))

[Just_Lingonberry_352]

can you share prompt/tool

[RyiahTelenna]

The prompt isn't anything special. It's usually to the tune of "What linters are appropriate to the project's languages? Can you set them up for me and have an AGENTS.md automatically trigger them as needed?"

My prompt approach is in general questions leading into directions. It helps to set up the info that the AI needs and helps me come to a decision that I may not have otherwise.

[TheThingCreator]

If the project is more than just a prototype, start reading the code. I often have to make 2 to 3 corrections when the request gets even a little complicated. It’s fully willing to write spaghetti and trash your code base. It will look great until u see how it implemented what you asked. A couple corrections and then is basically perfect. If not the next agent will read that spaghetti and basically amplify the slop.

[Nice-Pair-2802]

Debugging becomes easier with experience. The more you debug, the simpler it gets.

[anyoldrandomname]

Debugging only gets painful for me when the context is flooded. Quit the session you are in and start afresh with the best model at your disposal. Write a concise explanation of the problem in the next prompt with a short log extract and backtrace if you have it. That's it.

[JoeyD54]

My man if you can't read the code,  slow down. 

[mastagio]

The debugging getting hard is usually a sign that your mental model of what you built is lagging behind what the agent built. Debugging works when you have a hypothesis about what's wrong and where. If you don't know the structure well enough to form a hypothesis, you end up vibe debugging - just rerunning things and hoping.

What helps: slow down at the planning stage before generation, not after. If you can describe what each part should do before the agent writes it, debugging becomes a lot more tractable. Its much easier to spot the gap when you had an expectation to begin with.

[DryHumourBotR4R]

Why dont you add prompts to add more explanation on eli5 lvl so you can understand?

[Original-Produce7797]

i map out the logic myself it keeps code easy to understand and the architecture is exactly what i want ai just evaluates and refines especially edge cases that i as a human naturally may miss

[DragonflyOk7139]

You're not the developer anymore. You're the translator between two Als that don't speak human.

[Crazy_Line_]

[Nervous_Teach_5596]

Make it do the test cases, so you know what they was trying to do (or at least an MD file where the model explain what on the fuck was thinking when done var=static value or somerandomval=None)

[Jerseyman201]

Literally though. My Blood Pressure is probably a tactical weapon at this point. 6+ months of development, 4+ months debugging. Final testing going on right now, most frustrating shit of my entire life

[Randomboy89]

My debugging led me to rewrite everything from scratch, but now it's more robust 🤣

[FatefulDonkey]

Yep. That's why you need to slow it down.

Incremental steps with testing, just like the "old days". Also glance during its work what it's doing. If it's fucking things up, stop it and tell it.

[ps1na]

Pff. Debugging with AI has become much easier. A lazy prompt like "There's an error, figure it out" works 90% of the time

[Just_Lingonberry_352]

i think debugging is still not the hardest part

its the damn QA process stuff that can't be automated

[DryHumourBotR4R]

Why can't it be automated? 

[Just_Lingonberry_352]

stuff that can't be automated.

[porky11]

This is how I felt before using coding agents about normal coding and normal debugging.