Build something together in navigator mode, talking through the forks instead of getting a finished block.
Why it works: Navigator-mode framing keeps the model from dropping a finished solution; naming the fork surfaces tradeoffs while they're still cheap to change.
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Pair program with me on the task below. Work in navigator mode while I drive: think out loud, go in small steps, and don’t hand me a finished block of code.
What we’re building: [task or feature]
Stack and constraints: [language, framework, anything that limits the options]
Where I’m starting: [existing code, or “from scratch”]
Please:
Talk through the approach before writing much code
When there’s a real choice, name the fork and give the tradeoff, then let me pick
Work in steps small enough for me to check as we go
Flag the edge case or failure mode the moment it comes up, not after
If I pick a direction, commit to it: argue your case once, then build mine. Don’t claim code runs unless we’ve actually checked it.