JHamidun Build and Fix
Incrementally fix build and type errors with minimal, safe changes.
Step 1: Detect Build System
Identify the project's build tool and run the build:
| Indicator | Build Command |
|---|---|
package.json with build script |
npm run build or pnpm build |
tsconfig.json (TypeScript only) |
npx tsc --noEmit |
Cargo.toml |
cargo build 2>&1 |
pom.xml |
mvn compile |
build.gradle |
./gradlew compileJava |
go.mod |
go build ./... |
pyproject.toml |
python -m compileall -q . or mypy . |
Step 2: Parse and Group Errors
- Run the build command and capture stderr
- Group errors by file path
- Sort by dependency order (fix imports/types before logic errors)
- Count total errors for progress tracking
Step 3: Fix Loop (One Error at a Time)
For each error:
- Read the file — Use Read tool to see error context (10 lines around the error)
- Diagnose — Identify root cause (missing import, wrong type, syntax error)
- Fix minimally — Use Edit tool for the smallest change that resolves the error
- Re-run build — Verify the error is gone and no new errors introduced
- Move to next — Continue with remaining errors
Step 4: Guardrails
Stop and ask the user if:
- A fix introduces more errors than it resolves
- The same error persists after 3 attempts (likely a deeper issue)
- The fix requires architectural changes (not just a build fix)
- Build errors stem from missing dependencies (need
npm install,cargo add, etc.)
Step 4b: Rollback Anchor (capture BEFORE the first edit)
A build-fix run touches many files quickly. Capture a return point before the first Edit — not after the third failed attempt:
-
git status --short— is the tree already dirty? Someone else's uncommitted work will get mixed into yours - Dirty tree →
git stash push -u -m "pre-build-fix"or commit a WIP snapshot. Clean tree → recordgit rev-parse --short HEAD - Not a git repo → copy the files you are about to touch:
cp <file> <file>.bak-build-fix - State the revert trigger up front: "if total error count grows, or the same error survives 3 attempts, revert to the anchor and report"
Revert path: git checkout -- <specific files> or git stash pop. Never git checkout -- . — it discards every uncommitted change in the tree, including work unrelated to this build (the bash-guard blocks that form for exactly this reason).
Step 5: Summary
Show results:
- Errors fixed (with file paths)
- Errors remaining (if any)
- New errors introduced (should be zero)
- Suggested next steps for unresolved issues
Recovery Strategies
| Situation | Action |
|---|---|
| Missing module/import | Check if package is installed; suggest install command |
| Type mismatch | Read both type definitions; fix the narrower type |
| Circular dependency | Identify cycle with import graph; suggest extraction |
| Version conflict | Check package.json / Cargo.toml for version constraints |
| Build tool misconfiguration | Read config file; compare with working defaults |
Fix one error at a time for safety. Prefer minimal diffs over refactoring.