AI debugging fails without reproducible test cases
Claude couldn't fix a scroll-on-click bug until given a measurable repro; measuring scroll position before/after click replaced the visual 'jitter' observation and made the problem verifiable.
May 15, 2026
Summary
When delegating debugging to AI tools, vague descriptions ('it jitters') break verification loops—you need quantifiable test cases (scroll position delta) so the AI can actually confirm fixes work, not just claim they do.
Why it matters
When delegating debugging to AI tools, vague descriptions ('it jitters') break verification loops—you need quantifiable test cases (scroll position delta) so the AI can actually confirm fixes work, not just claim they do.
Implementation verdict
Don't ask Claude to fix bugs without executable test cases. Requires converting subjective observations into measurable assertions. Worth doing now: it's the difference between AI debugging that wastes time and AI debugging that actually progresses.
Sources
- 1.Claude was essentially operating without a repro—it tried to fix the bug, but didn't do anything specific to verify it
- 2.Claude doesn't have eyes or other ways to perceive the jitter directly
- 3.You can trade a repro for another repro as long as you're able to convince yourself that it'll help you make progress on the original problem
- 4.a repro that takes ten seconds is vastly more valuable than a repro that takes ten minutes
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