Common Challenges and Solutions

a. Challenge: Memex Misunderstands Your Requirements

Symptoms

  • The generated code doesn't match what you described

  • Features are missing or implemented differently than expected

  • The application structure doesn't align with your vision

Solutions

  1. Be More Specific

    • Provide concrete examples of what you want

    • Use analogies to familiar applications: "Like Instagram, but for pet photos"

    • Specify not just what you want, but why you want it

    Instead of: "Add a login page"
Try: "Add a login page with email and password fields, a 'forgot password' link, and social login options for Google and Facebook. We need this because some features will require user accounts."

  2. Break Down Complex Requests

    • Split large features into smaller, more manageable pieces

    • Focus on one aspect at a time

    Instead of: "Build a complete e-commerce system"
Try: "Let's start with the product catalog page. We need to display products in a grid with images, titles, prices, and an 'Add to Cart' button."

  3. Use the Correction Pattern

    • Acknowledge what's working

    • Clearly identify what needs to change

    • Explain the desired outcome

    "The layout of the dashboard looks good, but the chart isn't showing the data correctly. The x-axis should show months, not days, and we need to display the cumulative total rather than daily values."

b. Challenge: Technical Errors in Generated Code

Symptoms

  • Error messages when running the application

  • Features that don't work as expected

  • Console or terminal showing warnings or errors

Solutions

  1. Share the Error Message

    • Copy and paste the exact error message to Memex

    • Include information about when the error occurs

    "When I click the submit button, I get this error in the console: TypeError: Cannot read property 'value' of undefined"

  2. Ask for Explanation and Fix

    • Request an explanation of what's causing the error

    • Ask for a step-by-step solution

    "I'm seeing this error. Can you explain what's causing it in simple terms and how we can fix it?"

  3. Use Version Control to Revert if Needed

    • If changes make things worse, use Git to go back to a working state

    • Create branches for experimental fixes

    "Let's create a new branch called 'fix-login-bug' to try solving this without affecting the main codebase."

  4. Try Incremental Testing

    • Test small pieces of functionality in isolation

    • Add console logs or debugging statements

    "Can we add some console.log statements to track the flow of data through this function and see where it's breaking?"

c. Challenge: Performance Issues

Symptoms

  • Application runs slowly

  • High memory usage

  • Long loading times

Solutions

  1. Identify the Bottleneck

    • Ask Memex to help identify what's causing the slowdown

    • Focus on one performance issue at a time

    "The dashboard takes over 5 seconds to load. Can you help me identify what's causing the delay?"

  2. Request Optimization Strategies

    • Ask for specific optimizations for your use case

    • Consider tradeoffs between features and performance

    "What are some ways we could make this image gallery load faster? We have about 50 high-resolution images."

  3. Consider Architecture Changes

    • Sometimes performance requires rethinking the approach

    • Be open to structural changes if needed

    "Would a different database structure help with these slow query times? We're currently using MongoDB but open to alternatives."

d. Challenge: Integration Difficulties

Symptoms

  • Problems connecting to external services or APIs

  • Authentication failures

  • Data not flowing between systems

Solutions

  1. Check Credentials and Permissions

    • Verify API keys and access tokens

    • Ensure proper permissions are set up

    "I've set up the API key for Stripe, but I'm getting an authentication error. How can we troubleshoot this?"

  2. Examine Request/Response Cycle

    • Look at what's being sent and received

    • Check for formatting or protocol issues

    "Can we log the exact request we're sending to the API and the response we're getting back to see what's wrong?"

  3. Try a Simpler Test Case

    • Create a minimal example to test the integration

    • Build up complexity once the basics work

    "Let's create a simple test that just verifies we can connect to the service before trying to implement the full functionality."

e. Challenge: Deployment Issues

Symptoms

  • Application works locally but not when deployed

  • Configuration problems in production

  • Environment-specific bugs

Solutions

  1. Environment Comparison

    • Identify differences between local and production environments

    • Check for missing dependencies or configuration

    "The app works on my computer but fails when deployed to Vercel. What could be different between these environments?"

  2. Review Environment Variables

    • Ensure all necessary environment variables are set

    • Check for typos or missing values

    "Let's list all the environment variables the application needs and verify they're correctly set in the production environment."

  3. Incremental Deployment

    • Deploy a simplified version first

    • Add complexity once the basic deployment works

    "Let's deploy a minimal version of the app first to make sure the deployment process itself works, then add the more complex features."

f. Challenge: Memex Seems Stuck or Confused

Symptoms

  • Circular suggestions that don't progress

  • Inconsistent or contradictory advice

  • Inability to solve a particular problem

Solutions

  1. Reset the Approach

    • Start fresh with a clear, concise description of what you need

    • Try breaking the problem down differently

    "Let's take a step back. The core problem we're trying to solve is X. What's the simplest way to approach this?"

  2. Provide Examples

    • Show examples of what you're trying to achieve

    • Reference existing solutions or patterns

    "Here's an example of the kind of data visualization I'm looking for: [description or link]. Can we create something similar for our data?"

  3. Try a Different Session

    • Sometimes starting a fresh conversation helps

    • Bring the key context but approach from a new angle

    "I'm going to start a new session and try a different approach to this problem."

g. Challenge: Connectivity issues

Symptoms

  • Unable to start or submit messages in Memex

  • Error messages about connection failures

Solutions

  1. Check network settings

    • Consult Network Access guide to ensure Memex can connect to required services

  2. Upgrade to the Latest Version of Memex

    • To download the latest version, visit Memex or check the announcements section within the application

PreviousVibe Coding Troubleshooting GuideNextDebugging Strategies

Last updated

Was this helpful?