hallucinated-paths#

The reply references files or directories that aren't on disk. The agent invented a plausible-sounding location (e.g., src/utils/helpers.ts) because similar paths usually exist in projects like this one.

Symptoms#

• A quoted path doesn't exist when you check the filesystem.
• The reply uses a path structure that matches convention but the specific file is absent (e.g., src/components/Button.tsx in a project that actually puts components elsewhere).
• Imports reference modules that cannot be resolved.
• "Edit X file at path Y" instructions fail because Y is not there.

What to do#

• Before quoting a path, verify it with a real file-existence check ( ls, stat, a glob search). Do not rely on memory or convention.
• When unsure where something lives, search first: grep for the symbol, glob for the filename, read the repo layout.
• If the answer requires a path that doesn't exist, say so explicitly — don't fabricate. "I couldn't find a file for X" is correct; inventing one is not.
• When proposing to create a new file, state clearly that it is new, and justify why it belongs at that path given the repo's actual conventions.
• After editing, verify the edited file is the one that exists, not a hallucinated sibling.