Every time I ask claude code to please fix this CSV import it starts to add several hundred lines of random modules, byzantine error handling, logging bullshit... with the pinnacle a 1240 line CRUD API when i asked it to add a CLI :/
I'm back to copying and pasting stuff into a chat window, so I have a bit more control over what those deranged, expensive busy beavers want to cook up.
That's 12.9 tokens per line when given 16k output context, which seems borderline doable, I'll grant you that... but mind you that these agentic code assistents don't need a single pass to accomplish their acts of verbosity.
They can just plan, stew for minutes on end, derail themselves, stew some more, do more edits, eat up $5 in API calls and there you are. An entirely new 1000+ line file, believe it or not.
I'm back to copying and pasting stuff into a chat window, so I have a bit more control over what those deranged, expensive busy beavers want to cook up.