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Claude Code1 min read

Common Claude Code mistakes (and how to avoid them).

Vague briefs, library bloat, conversation drift. The three failure modes that catch most first-timers.

Haojun See
Haojun See

Founder & Director, On The Ground

Updated 6 June 2026

Overview

Most Claude Code frustrations come from three reliable mistakes. Recognising them early saves you a day of debugging.

Mistake 1 — vague briefs

"Make the site look better" doesn't work. "Reduce the hero font size by 20% and centre the call-to-action button" does. Specific beats general every time.

Mistake 2 — library bloat

If you don't refuse, Claude will add a UI library, an animation library, a state management library, and a form library. None of them belong in a 5-page marketing site. In CLAUDE.md: "Don't add libraries without asking. We're staying minimal."

Mistake 3 — conversation drift

Six hours into a conversation, Claude is contradicting itself. Reset. Update CLAUDE.md. Start fresh.

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