How to use Unknown to fix bugs with Qoder
The author reports several recent fixes passed tests and compiled on the first change set, with additional documentation, test, and configuration edits.
news.ycombinator.comPrompt to try
Editorial adaptation, not the source author’s exact prompt. Replace bracketed inputs and review tool permissions first.
Using [issue text] and [repository], draft a specification covering inputs, outputs, edge cases and validation. Incorporate [compatibility constraints] before editing. Implement the agreed change, run [unit tests] and [build command], resolve failures, and report changes for diff review.
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See placements →What happened
The author reports several recent fixes passed tests and compiled on the first change set, with additional documentation, test, and configuration edits.
Reported by firasd on Hacker NewsHow the agent did it
- Paste the GitHub issue into chat.
- Refine the proposed specification with constraints.
- Let Qoder plan tasks and edit repository files.
Where a person stepped in
The author co-authored specifications and reviewed diffs; flaky tests and environment-specific steps required maintainer judgment.
A person approved each step before the agent continued.
The author used Qoder locally on a repository to handle small bug fixes and feature requests. Rather than starting with edits, they pasted the user's GitHub issue or feature request verbatim into chat. Qoder extracted requirements and proposed a specification covering inputs, outputs, edge cases, and validation.
The author then supplied missing constraints, including compatibility, performance, and migration concerns. They describe iterating through one to three rounds before treating the specification as the change's single source of truth. Qoder planned tasks from that agreement, edited files, and displayed live diffs. It ran unit tests and a full build, revising changes when validation failed. Its final report listed changes, tests, and the reasoning behind the solution.
For several recent fixes, the author says the first change set passed tests and compiled. They also report useful adjacent changes to documentation, tests, and configuration. Human judgment remained necessary for ambiguous acceptance criteria, flaky tests, and environment-specific work. The post describes this workflow rather than documenting a particular merged fix.
Who it's for: Maintainers who can define acceptance criteria and review changes in an existing repository.
Prompt
Suggested prompt (written by Agents In Use, not the author's)
Source: Hacker News · firasd
Frequently asked questions
How did the author define the task?
They pasted the GitHub issue or feature request verbatim, then refined the proposed specification with constraints over one to three rounds.
What happened before human diff review?
Qoder edited files, ran unit tests and a full build, iterated on failures, and produced a checklist of changes and validation.
More details
Remaining steps
- Run unit tests and the full build, fixing failures.
- Review the change report and diffs.
About this account
Qoder planned edits and iterated on test and build failures after the specification was agreed.
Platform: Hacker News. Attribution: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=44985472. Prompt: Suggested (written by Agents In Use, not the author's). Sourced by the Agents In Use pipeline.
Credit: firasd on Hacker News
Source published 22 Aug 2025
Source checked 14 Oct 2026
Tools and topics
Qoder · GitHub · Unit tests
Bug fixes · Specifications
Editorial completeness: 100/100. Measures documented fields, not agent performance or verified outcomes.