AI Prompts for Debugging

Here is an error and stack trace from my application: [PASTE ERROR AND STACK TRACE]. Explain what this error means in plain language, where in the code it is originating from, and what the most likely causes are. Give me a prioritized list of what to check first.

My code is supposed to [DESCRIBE EXPECTED BEHAVIOR]. Instead, it is [DESCRIBE ACTUAL BEHAVIOR]. Here is the relevant code: [PASTE CODE]. Walk me through what the code is actually doing step by step and identify where the behavior diverges from what I intended. What is the most likely root cause?

This function produces unexpected output for certain inputs. Here is the function: [PASTE FUNCTION]. For input [SPECIFIC INPUT], I expect [EXPECTED OUTPUT] but get [ACTUAL OUTPUT]. Walk through the function execution with this input and identify exactly where and why the output diverges from my expectation.

I tried to fix a bug by [DESCRIBE FIX]. The bug is still occurring. Here is the original code before my fix: [PASTE ORIGINAL]. Here is the code after my fix: [PASTE FIXED]. Why did my fix not work? What did I misunderstand about the root cause, and what should I try instead?

I have an intermittent bug that only appears sometimes and I cannot reliably reproduce it. Here is what I know: [DESCRIBE SYMPTOMS, FREQUENCY, CONDITIONS]. Here is the code in the area I suspect: [PASTE CODE]. What are the most common causes of intermittent bugs of this type? What logging or monitoring should I add to capture more information the next time it occurs?

Trace the value of [VARIABLE NAME] through this code execution step by step. At each point where the value changes, explain why it changes and whether the new value is what the code intends: [PASTE CODE]

I wrote this code to do [DESCRIBE INTENDED BEHAVIOR]. Tell me what it actually does, including any side effects, edge cases, or behaviors I may not have intended. Do not tell me what I meant to do. Tell me what the code will actually do when executed: [PASTE CODE]

I have a bug where a variable has an unexpected value and I cannot find where it is being changed. The variable is [VARIABLE NAME]. Here is the relevant codebase section: [PASTE CODE]. Identify every place where this variable could be modified, including indirect modifications through references, closures, or mutation.

I do not understand the execution order of this asynchronous code. Walk me through the exact order in which each part of this code will execute, including what happens when promises resolve and what the state of shared variables is at each point: [PASTE CODE]

I think I have a bug related to type coercion or implicit conversion. Here is the code: [PASTE CODE]. Explain what type each variable is at each step, where any implicit conversions happen, and whether any of these conversions are causing unexpected behavior.

I found this bug in my code: [DESCRIBE BUG]. Here is the current code: [PASTE CODE]. Write a fix that resolves the root cause without breaking other functionality. Explain what the root cause was, why your fix addresses it, and what other code could be affected by the change.

I have been fixing this bug but it keeps coming back in slightly different forms. The symptom is: [DESCRIBE SYMPTOM]. The fixes I have tried are: [LIST FIXES]. Help me identify the root cause rather than the symptom. What structural issue in the code is allowing this class of bug to keep occurring, and how do I fix that?

This code pattern has produced multiple bugs over time: [PASTE CODE]. Instead of fixing each bug individually, help me refactor this section so the bug-prone pattern no longer exists. What is the underlying design issue and what is the cleaner approach?

I am getting a null or undefined reference error in this code. The error is: [PASTE ERROR]. Here is the code: [PASTE CODE]. Identify everywhere that could produce a null or undefined value unexpectedly, write a fix that handles these cases correctly, and distinguish between cases where null should be prevented and cases where it should be handled gracefully.

I think my bug is caused by [LIBRARY NAME] behaving unexpectedly. Here is how I am using it: [PASTE USAGE CODE]. Here is the behavior I am seeing: [DESCRIBE BEHAVIOR]. Is this a known issue with this library? Am I using it incorrectly? What is the workaround or fix?

I just fixed this bug: [DESCRIBE BUG AND FIX]. Write tests that would have caught this bug before it reached production. Include tests for the specific case that was failing and for related edge cases that might have similar issues. The tests should fail on the original buggy code and pass on the fixed version.

I just fixed a bug that was very hard to diagnose because I did not have enough information. The bug was: [DESCRIBE BUG]. Write the logging and monitoring code I should add to make this type of issue easier to diagnose if it happens again. Include what to log, where to log it, and what log level to use.

I found this bug in one part of my code: [DESCRIBE BUG]. Review the rest of this codebase section for similar patterns that could produce the same class of bug. I want to find all instances now rather than fixing them one at a time as they appear in production: [PASTE CODEBASE SECTION]

This code has non-obvious behavior that has caused bugs in the past: [PASTE CODE]. Write comments or documentation that would prevent a developer from making the same mistake. Explain the gotcha, why the code works the way it does, and what not to do when modifying it.

We had a production bug that affected [DESCRIBE IMPACT]. The root cause was: [DESCRIBE ROOT CAUSE]. Write a brief post-mortem that covers: what happened and when, root cause analysis, contributing factors, what was done to fix it, and three specific action items that would prevent this class of issue from reaching production again.