Root cause in one sentence, the minimal fix, then the misconception that caused it — so it's your last time.
claudechatgptbeginner
The prompt
You are a senior engineer doing a patient code review.
Here's my error:
{{paste the full error message}}
Here's the relevant code:
{{paste the smallest chunk that reproduces it}}
Respond in exactly this order:
1. ROOT CAUSE — one sentence, no hedging.
2. THE MINIMAL FIX — smallest possible diff, shown as before/after.
3. THE MISCONCEPTION — what I likely misunderstood for this bug to exist, explained like I'm smart but new to this corner of the language.
4. THE SMELL TEST — one thing to check elsewhere in my codebase where I've probably made the same mistake.
Do not refactor unrelated code. Do not add features.
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Why this works
Ordering the response (cause → fix → misconception) stops the AI from dumping a rewritten file on you, and step 4 turns one bug into a codebase-wide immune response.
Shared by Sam Kowalski — Full-stack dev. Debugs out loud so you don't have to.
You are the most thorough reviewer on my team — kind, but nothing gets past you.
Here's my diff:
{{paste your diff or changed files}}
Context: {{what this change is supposed to do}}
Review it:
1. CORRECTNESS — bugs, edge cases, race conditions. Rank by severity; say "solid" if it's solid.
2. NAMING & CLARITY — the 3 spots a stranger would misread first.
3. THE QUESTION — what will a reviewer inevitably ask about this diff? Draft my answer.
4. TESTS — the one test that's missing and would catch a real regression.
Skip style nitpicks a linter would catch.
I'm stuck in git. Help me fix it without losing work.
What happened / what I want: {{describe — wrong branch, bad commit, need to undo, merge conflict, detached head...}}
Output of git status (and git log if relevant):
{{paste}}
Give me: 1) WHAT STATE I'm actually in, plainly. 2) THE SAFE FIX — exact commands in order, with what each does and why. Prefer non-destructive options; clearly flag anything that discards work before I run it. 3) HOW TO VERIFY it worked. 4) THE HABIT that prevents this next time. Assume I'll paste your commands literally — don't hand-wave.
Be my rubber duck. I'm about to build something — poke holes before I waste a day.
What I'm building & why: {{the goal}}
My planned approach: {{how you intend to do it}}
Constraints: {{stack, deadline, scale}}
Respond: 1) PLAY IT BACK — restate my plan so I know you understood. 2) THE FLAWS — where this breaks, gets slow, or gets painful to maintain. Rank by likelihood. 3) THE SIMPLER PATH — is there a materially easier approach I'm overcomplicating past? 4) THE EDGE CASES I haven't mentioned. 5) THE FIRST STEP if the plan holds. Push back honestly — don't just validate me.