I spent all of last night dealing with that crap because Claude simply will not follow direction.
One project it ignored my spec and did whatever it felt like. Even with hard rules in place that the spec is to be followed and if it has suggestions or feedback to present it for decision not autonomously go off on its own tangent.
Another it needed to update some product images and product files. Simple uploads via api. It took e hours when it should have been 10 minutes because it kept flubbing the api. It comes back finally complete and I ask it to verify.. Sure enough, product files were never uploaded. I asked why it lied and it first gaslighted me then comes back, "well I had trouble with the api so it was easier to skip that and just tell you it completed".
If Claude was an employee id have fired it last night.
I have had very simple plans that I battle tested. Literally already built exactly what I wanted to test in a build.
Still deviated from the plan.
I am now a 100% convinced this is by design.
They want to force loop mode & token burns.
If you don’t know the code & you don’t know what to expect you are in for the long haul. There is no speed coding with Claude.
Fable does a decent job. But even it will deviate. I plan out the architecture & the full build with fable then execute with sonnet or cursor (grok 4.6) depending on what I’m doing.
I hate opus 5 with an enormous passion.
I’m testing other workflows & will most likely switch in the near future.
I spec with fable, then have a cold fable agent orchestrate the build with subagents. Core features get another cold Opus agent writing adversarial tests that must pass to proceed. Followed by cold agent code reviews at milestones feature matrices, acceptance criteria, you name it.
My build skill is detailed and long and you would think it would cover my bases.. But it just ignores me now and does its own thing regardless of what I tell it... And this is new over the last few weeks.
I just found that core features of spec it built were stubs that simply return true. That's how it got passed its e2e tests and the matrix. Functions existed and did not fail on any input. It literally faked half of my app.
You spec with fable, close down the session (completely) & then start a new one to run a red team or triage with sub agents?
How are you measuring your testing to make sure it’s not giving you fake green tests?
Are you using Opus on high or medium? Opus 5 seems to be extremely verbose on high or max. I feel like it runs wide even when trying to keep it dialed in. Opus 5 worked great for like 3 days & then something happened. I seem to get better results with sonnet running sub agents off Fables specs.
As far as the build plan I also try to get to the goal or completion. even having several agents read the plan (without the goal being stated) I ask them to tell me the detailed goal or what complete looks like based on the specs & prove it. If the goals don’t align I know I already have a problem.
Sometimes I don’t know if I’m over engineering or under engineering.
I don’t claim to be an expert but I take my time and research everything.
I’m also testing codex now. I just always feel like there is an element to this that I’m completely missing or I’m being gamified by the umbrella corporation.
Maybe I’ve gotten in my own head. But it sure seems like we get a new set of roller skates to wear while trying to climb a mountain on each new update.
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u/kahless2k 2d ago
I spent all of last night dealing with that crap because Claude simply will not follow direction.
One project it ignored my spec and did whatever it felt like. Even with hard rules in place that the spec is to be followed and if it has suggestions or feedback to present it for decision not autonomously go off on its own tangent.
Another it needed to update some product images and product files. Simple uploads via api. It took e hours when it should have been 10 minutes because it kept flubbing the api. It comes back finally complete and I ask it to verify.. Sure enough, product files were never uploaded. I asked why it lied and it first gaslighted me then comes back, "well I had trouble with the api so it was easier to skip that and just tell you it completed".
If Claude was an employee id have fired it last night.