A Better Claude Debugging Prompt for Real Errors

When debugging with Claude, context matters more than clever wording. Provide the error, expected behavior, relevant code, and the steps that reproduce the problem.

Use This Prompt

I expected [expected behavior], but got [actual behavior].
Error and stack trace: [paste]
Relevant code: [paste]
Environment: [language, version, framework]
Reproduction steps: [steps]

Identify the most likely cause, explain the evidence, propose the smallest fix,
and list tests that would catch a regression. Do not rewrite unrelated code.

Verify the Hypothesis

Ask Claude to distinguish facts from guesses. Run the proposed test before and after the fix. If the error is intermittent, collect logs and inputs instead of asking the model to speculate.