Fixing Things: Debugging with AI

Bug Hunt

Below are 5 tiny broken code examples (illustrative, not a live tool). For each one, guess what's wrong before checking the answer.

So what's a "bug"?

A bug is a small mistake in code that makes it not do what you wanted. Bugs are a completely normal part of coding — even professional programmers create them constantly. Finding one isn't a sign you did something wrong; it's just part of the process.

Two habits make fixing bugs go much smoother. First, describe the problem clearly to your AI tool: what you expected to happen, and what actually happened instead — the same specific thinking you used for prompts back in Lesson 4. Second, after AI gives you a fix, test it to make sure it actually works, and try to understand why it worked instead of just copying it in.

Fix It Yourself

This activity happens in your own code generation tool — not on this page.

Want to plan your bug report first? Draft it here.

Saved right in this browser, on this device — it's just for planning, and never sent anywhere.

1. 1Open your code generation tool with a grown-up nearby — you can revisit your project from Lesson 8, or start a new small one.
2. 2Find or create a small bug. The easiest way: go back to your Lesson 8 project and delete one bracket or quotation mark on purpose. (You can also ask your AI tool for a broken example, but a small change you make yourself is easier to explain.)
3. 3Describe the problem clearly: what you expected to happen, and what actually happened instead.
4. 4Read the fix it suggests before using it. Does it make sense? Can you explain why it works?
5. 5Run the fixed code with your grown-up and test that it now works the way you expected.
6. 6If it's still not quite right, describe what's different now and try again — that's normal.

What was the bug?

Think about the Bug Hunt game or your own fix — what was the bug, and how did you (or would you) describe it to get a useful fix?

This is saved right in this browser, on this device — it's never sent anywhere.

What you just learned

• ✓ A bug is a normal mistake in code — even experienced programmers make them constantly.
• ✓ Describing what you expected vs. what actually happened helps AI give you a much more useful fix.
• ✓ Always test a fix to make sure it actually works — and try to understand why, not just copy-paste it.
• ✓ Running and testing code should always happen with a grown-up, in a safe, already-set-up environment.

Quick Quiz

10 questions, picked at random from a bigger question bank — so if you take it again, you'll likely see a different mix. Let's go!