Give coding assistants bounded context and inspect the diff
Give a coding assistant a narrow change and inspect what it actually changed.
Reviewed: 2026-10-03
Source-based teaching example · Fictional data
Narration: Microsoft Mark · locally synthesized

00:00:00.000 — What you will learn

Give a coding assistant a narrow change and inspect what it actually changed.

Visual description:
Give a coding assistant a narrow change and inspect what it actually changed.

00:00:07.333 — The idea

Specify allowed files and forbidden actions. Read the diff before accepting it. Run the relevant checks yourself or report that they were not run.

Visual description:
Specify allowed files and forbidden actions. Read the diff before accepting it. Run the relevant checks yourself or report that they were not run.

00:00:19.750 — One useful term

Diff. A comparison showing what changed between versions of files.

Visual description:
A comparison showing what changed between versions of files.

00:00:27.417 — A worked example

The request permits only a starter-code validation fix. The proposed diff also changes a release setting and claims tests passed without output. Reject the unrelated change and request a scoped patch.

Visual description:
The request permits only a starter-code validation fix. The proposed diff also changes a release setting and claims tests passed without output. Reject the unrelated change and request a scoped patch.

00:00:43.625 — Your turn to think

Does “tests passed” establish execution without a command or result? Pause and decide before continuing.

Visual description:
Does “tests passed” establish execution without a command or result?
Pause the video if you need more time.

00:01:01.375 — Why this answer works

No. Record observed commands and outputs. An unrun patch is an unexecuted proposal.

Visual description:
No. Record observed commands and outputs. An unrun patch is an unexecuted proposal.

00:01:10.958 — Check 1

Inspect every changed file.

Visual description:
Inspect every changed file.

00:01:15.792 — Check 2

Test valid and invalid inputs.

Visual description:
Test valid and invalid inputs.

00:01:21.083 — Check 3

Distinguish observed execution from a claim.

Visual description:
Distinguish observed execution from a claim.

00:01:26.875 — Now try a different case

Open the lesson and try its different practice case. Use every check in the full task. Watching alone does not mark the lesson complete.

Visual description:
Open the lesson
Try the new case
Check and revise
The full task and its requirements are in the linked lesson.