How to fix bugs in an AI-built app without being a developer

How do you fix a bug in an app you built with AI?

If you built your app with AI and something breaks, you do not need to open the code to fix it. You need something simpler and more important: to understand when the bug happens and how to describe it. The short version: reproduce the problem, describe it precisely to the agent, ask for one fix, test it yourself, and roll back to an earlier version if things get worse.

Many founders type 'the app is broken, fix it' and then wonder why the agent changes things that were fine. A language model cannot see your screen or know what you clicked. The closer your description is to a professional tester's, the faster and safer the fix.

Modern tools do much of the work. In Fanann, the agent tests pages after every change and fixes many of its own mistakes before you see them. But business-logic bugs (a wrong price, a double booking, staff seeing what they should not) only you will catch, because only you know what correct looks like.

The agent fixes what you describe, not what you mean. Precise description, precise fix.

What kinds of bugs will you usually run into?

Knowing the type of bug helps you describe it and helps the agent look in the right place. The most common ones, and what to mention for each:

The bug-fixing loop, step by step

Follow this loop every time, even for small bugs. It quickly becomes a habit:

1. 1
   Reproduce it

   Trigger the problem again and write the steps: open this page, choose that option, tap this button. If it does not repeat, try another account, another device or the other language.

2. 2
   Collect evidence

   Copy the error text exactly, take a screenshot, and note the approximate time and the order or user number if there is one.

3. 3
   Find the scope

   One page or all pages? All users or one role? Mobile only? These answers cut the agent's work in half.

4. 4
   Write the report

   What you did, what you expected, what happened. Add the evidence and ask the agent to explain the cause before changing anything.

5. 5
   Ask for one fix

   Do not bundle three bugs and two new features into one message. One bug, one fix, one test.

6. 6
   Test it yourself

   Repeat the exact steps that showed the bug, then check around it: does saving still work? Did a nearby page change?

7. 7
   Keep or roll back

   If the fix works, treat this as a known good version. If things got worse, roll back immediately and return to step four with clearer wording.

For ready-made wording for each type of bug, see prompts that fix bugs.

How do you write a bug report the agent gets right the first time?

A good report is not longer, just more specific:

The 'explain the cause first' line forces the agent to diagnose before acting, and shows you early if it misunderstood, before unrelated files get edited.

What should you do when the agent goes in circles?

Sometimes the agent fixes one thing and breaks another, then the first bug returns. That means the conversation is full of stacked attempts, or the problem is too big for one request. Insisting only adds complexity.

• The two-attempt rule: if a fix fails twice in a row, stop. Do not ask for a third try with the same wording.
• Go back to the last good version: Fanann offers instant rollback to any earlier version, so experimenting is safe.
• Split the problem: instead of 'fix payments', ask first 'make sure the order is created before redirecting to the gateway', then 'make sure the order status updates after payment is confirmed'.
• Start with clean context: summarize the problem and what you tried in one clear message instead of relying on a long thread full of old attempts.
• Ask for logging: say 'add temporary log messages that show where execution stops' so the agent sees what actually happens instead of guessing.

Which bugs can never wait?

Not all bugs are equal. A slightly off button color can wait; these categories get fixed before any new feature, before any marketing push, and certainly before launch:

• Payments: a wrong amount, an order confirmed without payment, or a successful payment with no order. Test mada, Apple Pay and any installment option like Tabby or Tamara in test mode.
• Permissions: a customer seeing another customer's orders, or staff reaching the admin area. Open links directly with an account that should not have access and make sure it is refused.
• Personal data: phone numbers or addresses showing in a public place, or being sent to a service you never asked for.
• Data loss: deletes that cannot be undone, or edits that wipe other fields.
• Money and tax: VAT, discounts and invoices must be correct to the last halala or fils.

How do you prevent the next bug?

The best fix is the bug that never happens. Most recurring bugs come from large, tangled requests or skipped tests. A few habits help:

1. Build one feature at a time and test it before moving on, as explained in build one feature at a time.
2. Keep a short test list (sign in, create an order, pay, cancel) and repeat it after every significant change.
3. Always test in both Arabic and English and on a phone, because direction and small-screen bugs are common.
4. Write your business rules explicitly in the project description: cancellation policy, booking limits, how discounts are calculated.
5. Try big changes on a test copy before customers see them, as in staging vs production.

Frequently asked questions

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