patternCommunication Patterns
Reproduce the issue first
Ask the agent to make the problem happen on purpose, and confirm it can see it, before trying to fix anything.
a bit more technical
Establish reliable steps, inputs, or a failing test that trigger the bug before changing code. A reproduction proves the problem is understood and gives an objective way to confirm the fix works.
picture it
Telling a mechanic "it rattles at highway speed." A good mechanic drives on the highway to hear it first. Otherwise they might fix a different rattle.
✗ instead of
users say their streaks keep disappearing, can you fix it✓ try
Users report their streaks disappearing. Reproduce the issue first: find the exact steps or write a failing test that shows it. Share the reproduction with me before changing any code.why it matters
Without a reproduction, an agent guesses at the cause, changes something plausible, and declares victory. With one, it can prove the bug existed and prove it's gone.
what your agent might say
I reproduced it: completing a habit after 11pm in a different time zone resets the streak. Here's the failing test. Next I'll look for the cause.
how you might use it
Reproduce the missing-streak bug first. Find the exact steps or write a failing test, and show it to me before changing any code.
common mistake
Skipping this because the bug seems obvious. Obvious-looking bugs often have a different cause than the one you'd guess.