https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJQuF02NAK8&list=PLmWCw1CzcFilebjK89WLb5cAvM8K0cLB3&index=6
Every feature travels the same path. Naming the stages matters because what you delegate to the agent and what you verify by hand is different at each one.
Write one or two sentences before the first prompt: what exactly will exist when this is finished, and how will I check it? "A 'Member since' date on the profile page, formatted like the rest of the card, visible for logged-in users." Without this, beginners fall into one of two traps: polishing endlessly, or merging something raw. "Done" defined up front is the exit condition for both.
1. Skeleton. Structure and stubs, no real logic. Delegate freely — the agent is excellent at scaffolding. Verify: does the structure match how the project already organizes things (Week 2)?
2. Fill-in. The real logic. Delegate in small units, one behavior at a time. Verify: read every diff; run the thing after each step. This is where most debugging happens — see the debugging page.
3. Polish. Edge cases, formatting, naming. Delegate the mechanical parts ("handle the empty state everywhere this pattern appears"). Verify: against your "done" definition — not against perfection.
4. Testing. Ask the agent to propose test cases first, then write tests — reviewing a list of cases is easier than reviewing test code. Verify: do the tests test real behavior, or just mirror the implementation? Run them; break something on purpose and check a test catches it.
5. PR. One branch, a reviewable diff, an honest description (what the agent did, what you changed, what you rejected — the Week 2 format). Before pushing: the security checklist from this week's security page.
6. Review. Fresh eyes on the result — a separate review chat (Week 1 habit), a classmate, or a mentor. Respond to feedback in small commits.
Stop when "done" is met and tests pass — not when you run out of improvement ideas. The agent will always have another suggestion; that's not a reason to take it. Park extras in a follow-up note.
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