Why is my build failing? Debug any compile error with Crade
Build red. Stack trace. Module not found. Type mismatch. Crade reads your editor, terminal, and error output on screen and tells you exactly what is wrong and how to fix it.
Why is my build failing?
The import `@/lib/auth` doesn't exist. Your auth file is at `@/lib/authentication`. Rename the import and it will compile.
Most build failures fall into a small set of recurring patterns: missing import, type mismatch, wrong file path, package version conflict, environment variable missing. Experienced devs recognise them in seconds. Everyone else stares at the red text for ten minutes before Googling. Crade reads the error on your screen, plus the surrounding code if it is visible, and tells you exactly what to fix.
What you put on your screen
- The terminal showing the failing build output
- The editor with the file the error points at, open at the relevant line
- The package.json or requirements.txt or equivalent if the error is dependency-related
- The CI log if the failure is on a remote build (CI dashboards work fine)
- The full stack trace, scrolled to show the relevant frames
What you say to Crade
Or specific: "What does this TypeScript error mean?", "Why can it not find this module?", "Is this a version mismatch?".
Step-by-step: how to do this in Crade
Make the error visible
Terminal scrolled to the error, editor open at the failing file. The more context Crade can see, the better the answer.
Click the Crade icon
Expand Crade. Floats over your editor and terminal.
Ask the question
"Why is this failing?" is the shortest version. Be more specific if you have a hypothesis: "Is this a tsconfig path issue?".
Read the diagnosis
Crade explains what is wrong in plain language and tells you the fix. Often it spots the issue from one line of error output.
Apply the fix
Change the import, install the missing package, fix the type. Crade can run the fix command on Pro Agent mode after you confirm.
Re-run and verify
If the fix worked, the build passes. If not, paste the new error to Crade. Same chat, the context carries over.
What you get back
A diagnosis of what is causing the failure and a concrete fix. For common patterns (import path mismatch, missing dependency), Crade nails it from the error alone. For less common ones, Crade asks for the surrounding code or config.
Tips for better debugging
- Show the full error, not just the last line. The stack trace often contains the real cause higher up.
- Keep the relevant code visible. Crade is much faster if it can read both the error and the file it points at.
- Mention what you changed recently. "It worked yesterday" or "I just upgraded React" narrows the search.
- For dependency hell, paste your package.json or lockfile alongside the error. Crade often finds version conflicts that way.
- If you have already tried something, say so. "I tried deleting node_modules" saves a round of obvious suggestions.
Free vs Pro vs Premium
- Free ($0): reads error output, suggests fixes. Plenty for occasional debugging.
- Pro ($7.99/mo or $49.99/yr): higher daily usage, Agent mode (Crade can run fix commands, edit files, re-run the build). Right tier for working developers.
- Premium ($19.99/mo or $149.99/yr): 10x more daily usage. Right tier for senior engineers and platform/devops roles.
Frequently asked questions
Can Crade actually fix the code?
On Pro Agent mode, yes. Crade can edit files and run commands. For safer use, ask for the diagnosis first, review the suggested change, then apply it yourself or have Crade apply it with your confirmation.
Does Crade replace senior debugging skills?
For common errors, almost. Crade is faster than Googling. For deep, novel debugging, it is comparable to a fast pair-programming partner who happens to have read every common framework. It does not always know your codebase specifically, so for system-level bugs you may still need to dig in.
What about debugging in production?
Crade reads what is on your screen. For production logs (Datadog, Sentry, Cloudwatch), open the relevant log lines and ask Crade. Crade does not log into your production systems on its own.
Can Crade understand my codebase, not just the visible error?
Crade reads what is on your screen at the moment of the prompt. If only the terminal error is visible, that is what Crade sees. Open the editor at the file the error points at so Crade can read both. For deeper context (related files, imports across the codebase), on Pro Agent mode Crade can read other files via the Read tool if you tell it which ones.
Can Crade debug across languages?
Yes. The error patterns are similar enough across TypeScript, Python, Go, Rust, Java, etc. That Crade handles all of them well. For very niche languages, ask Crade if it is confident. It will tell you.
The whole loop in one sentence
Error on screen, one prompt, a fix back. Most builds turn green in a single iteration instead of an hour of Stack Overflow.
A brief lands in your Notes app. Thirty seconds later, the landing page is open in your browser. Here is what to put in front of Crade, what to say, and the exact step-by-step from brief to live preview.
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