When the build breaks: read the error, fix the cause

Every vibe coder hits the moment: something that worked is broken, and the AI’s fixes are making it worse. This is where most people quit. It’s also where you learn the most.

Read before you paste

Errors usually say what went wrong and where. Read the first and last lines. Is it your code, a missing setting, or your machine? My first cloud build failed because the disk was full. No prompt would have fixed that.

Isolate, then roll back

1. 01What changed since it last worked?
2. 02Undo that one change and test again
3. 03If you’re lost, go back to your last Git save point

Then tell the AI what you found

Instead of pasting the whole error, tell it what you learned: “This broke after we added the login screen. The error points at the navigation file.” You’ll get a real fix, not a guess.

Written by

Samuel Audu

I build real products with AI and teach the process in a live class. More about me