Coding agents pad diffs to look thorough — a 5-rule scope block cut diff sizes by a third
Ok_Negotiation_2587 · reddit · 2026-09-11
When asked to fix one bug, coding agents return the fix plus reformats, drive-by refactors and new dependencies — and the padding is where bugs hide, because nobody reviews hunks that weren't the point. The author shares a scope-rules block for AGENTS.md/CLAUDE.md: change only what the task requires; no reformatting, refactoring or renames; no new dependencies without stopping to ask; and crucially, list the task requirement each hunk serves, reverting any unjustified hunk. Rule 5 is what works — making the agent justify every change cut diff sizes by about a third. He also provides a cold-session review prompt that flags out-of-scope hunks, explains the root cause (larger tidy diffs read as more competent to the model's training taste), and notes the block must live in config files so it's re-read every turn.
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