The simple fix it that f*cked up my day
What started as a quick onboarding tweak turned into a 6-hour debugging odyssey through recursion hell, state management purgatory, and the occasional existential crisis.
Yes, I cried.
The goal was innocent enough:
I should change the progress bar to indicate specific states instead
Here’s what actually happened:
I broke the entire backend
Restoring Lovable to a previous version doesn’t actually restore database changes, only front-end changes
And my brain… stopped working somewhere around Round 3.
After five full rounds of “fix, refix, break something else, fix again,” the damn thing finally works. Elegantly, even.
Now, Forma gently recommends that new users start where they should, without nagging or trapping them in UX hell, and specifically tracks down every single step in tools so you know where you’re at and can skip ahead.
Oh, and while I was at it, I also:
Added dark mode 🌙
Built improved onboarding
Connected more context between tools (central intelligence system, coming to life)
The lesson here….
A simple feature is only simple if you think it through completely the first time. Otherwise, you’re just stacking simple fixes until they become a complex mess.
Also, vibe coding amirite.
Time spent fixing: 5 hours
Time spent thinking: 1 hour
Ratio we should aim for next time: Flip it.
Forma PM is getting sharper, smarter, and (ironically) more aligned than I am.
Progress, right?
— Andrea