30
hallucination
The model states a missing API, file, or fact as if it were real. Calm tone is not evidence.
What is hallucination?
A hallucination is a confident invention: a package that is not on npm, a flag that never existed, a function in the wrong file. It is not a lie with intent. It is next-token completion filling a hole.
Why does hallucination matter when vibe coding?
Vibe coding dies here more than in syntax. You install the invented package, then blame the network. Run it. Read the file. Do not trust a stable paragraph.
How do you do hallucination?
Ban invented APIs in the prompt. After edits, grep for names you do not recognise. If a library is named, you install it and import it before the next turn.
How do you ask a model for hallucination?
Do not invent APIs, flags, or files. Read the repo first. If you are not sure a symbol exists, say so and stop.
What goes wrong with hallucination?
Asking “are you sure?” The model will say yes. Verification is a command, not a question.