Fix App That Looks Good But Does Not Work

The systematic recovery flow for beautiful-but-broken AI builds: audit honestly, then fix by functional priority.

6 steps18 verify checks60-120 minutesWorks with: emergent · chatgpt · claude · cursor

Start Guided Walkthrough

#broken #audit #fake-ui #recovery #fix

The Route

0/6 verified

Run a brutal functional audit

Get the honest map: what works, what is fake, what is broken.

3 checks 02

Prioritize the fix order

Fix what matters most first - the app's core promise.

3 checks 03

Fix the core value action

Make the single most important feature real, end to end.

3 checks 04

Work through the fix queue

Convert every remaining FAKE and BROKEN item to WORKS.

3 checks 05

Add the missing states layer

Sweep the whole app for loading, empty, and error gaps.

3 checks 06

Final honest re-audit

Close the loop with the same brutal audit that started it.

3 checks

Every step ends at a Verify Gate. Do not continue until every check passes.

Context Pack

Paste this first. It briefs the AI on requirements, constraints, and the Definition of Done before your first build prompt.

Context Pack

PROJECT CONTEXT:
My AI builder produced a polished-looking app where most functionality is fake or broken underneath.

GOAL:
Audit every feature honestly, then systematically convert fake functionality into working functionality.

REQUIREMENTS:
- A truthful feature-by-feature audit (works/fake/broken)
- Prioritized fix order by user impact
- Real implementations replacing each fake
- Persistence and states added where missing
- A final verified pass of the whole app

CONSTRAINTS:
- No new features until existing ones actually work
- Visual polish is not on the menu until function is fixed

DEFINITION OF DONE:
- Every advertised feature actually works end to end
- Data persists across refresh
- All async actions have loading and error states
- The final audit shows zero FAKE or BROKEN entries

COMMON FAILURES TO AVOID:
- Assuming a feature works because its UI renders
- Fixing cosmetics while core actions stay dead
- Claiming success without refresh/persistence tests
- Half-wired forms that validate but never submit

Paste this into your AI builder first. It teaches the AI what you want before you give it the build prompt.