Lessons

The Prompting Playbook

The Debugging Triage Table

Match the symptom you are seeing to the right first move before you prompt again.

3 min#When It Breaks

Most breakages fall into a handful of shapes. Find the symptom you are actually seeing, then take the matching first move before you send another prompt.

Symptom and first move

SymptomFirst move
Preview is blank or whiteSomething failed while rendering. Open the console and take the first error, not the last one — the rest are knock-on effects.
Build failed right after an editAlmost always a broken import or typo in the file just changed. Revert that single change before trying anything else.
Works in preview, breaks once publishedA difference in environment or data. Check anything depending on being logged in, or on a key or secret that isn't set in production.
Data doesn't appearAn empty result and a failed request look identical on screen. Ask the agent to show which one is actually happening before it changes anything.
My change didn't show upHard refresh first. If it's still missing, the agent probably edited a different component than the one you're looking at — point it at the right file with @.
Everything got slowUsually one file doing too much. Ask for a refactor plan in Plan mode rather than a fix.
Looks broken only on mobileResponsive behaviour was never specified. Re-prompt that one section with explicit desktop / tablet / mobile rules.
It fixed one thing and broke anotherThe prompt was too broad. Revert, then re-prompt naming exactly what to change and what to leave alone.