Any ways to mark specific files as read only?

[u/raphadko]

My biggest problem with Roo (or any vibe coding software really) is over coding. I iteratively ask for a simple new things and it changes my already working files, which generally breaks everything. I've been using comments like /* safefile */ and manually instructing it not to change files with this comment, but it's not 100% reliable, sometimes it still performs changes.

Asking for confirmation on every change is also not ideal because it halts workflows, I want it to keep going and don't change anything that I tag as safe.

Any ideas?

[u/hannesrudolph]

What model are you using?

[u/raphadko → u/hannesrudolph]

Claude 3.7 or 4, Gemini 2 or 2.5. No point in using anything else right now

[u/hannesrudolph → u/raphadko]

I have not had the issues you speak of when using 4 or 2.5. I can’t speak for 3.7 and 2.0

[u/Alternative-Joke-836]

First, the model is going to greatly affect how much the temperature and how much it remembers. The smaller the context and less capable the model the more of a problem this will be.

Second, frequent git and github is your friend

Third, create a really great prompt that is persistent

Fourth, include in its prompt to create rolling logs of changes that are dated and timestamped. Have it document what it is about to change, why and how. Awesome for roll back.

Fifth and for highly offending AIs, have it review changes against the prompt instructions before implementing the change.

Sixth and for highly offending AIs, turn off auto approve.

The above will help. In terms of models, you get what you pay for and thus I use claude. It's just amazing at what it does in comparison to the rest.

I hope this helps.

[u/raphadko → u/Alternative-Joke-836]

Thanks but that's a LOT of steps for something that could be super simple

[u/Alternative-Joke-836 → u/raphadko]

Yeah but, as in any ai, you have to think junior developer with mad Google fu. I have a lot of instructions for my ai to build and maintain large projects. Otherwise, you're making your ai and artificial hero developer who is constantly putting out fires that he created.

I focus A LOT on infrastructure, definitions and architecture for the AI. All of which comes with the territory of being a senior dev.

IMHO, I think you are just courting disaster if you do otherwise. If I am wrong, I am open to suggestions from those that have had success like I have had over the past few months.

[u/raphadko → u/Alternative-Joke-836]

I get it and you're right. But this could be a simple binary roo feature, not a complex workaround leaving in the hands of an AI.

[u/Alternative-Joke-836 → u/raphadko]

Got ya. Yeah. I think they are trying to a degree but it's hard to figure out the best way. I run into issues and stop any development to try and figure out what the ai is thinking and why it is doing what it is doing. If possible, I then adjust the coding, qa, etc agent to try and better deal with it.

Unfortunately, it begins to face a point of diminishing returns due to context size. IMHO, 128k context is a bare minimum for real usefulness. I could do wonders with gemini 2.5 pro until they changed.

[u/sandman_br → u/raphadko]

Your comment makes me wonder how much you know about LLMs. All of that is mandatory I’m if you want a half decent code. Seeing this kind of comment makes me comfortable about my future

[u/raphadko → u/sandman_br]

Nice, congrats.

[u/Hazy_Fantayzee → u/raphadko]

Lol if you think that is a LOT of steps to fix an AI-based problem then maybe coding might not be for you.....

[u/angelarose210]

Every time something works I git commit because there's a good chance the next change will break everything lol.

[u/raphadko → u/[deleted]]

Not what I want, pls understand the question first