I asked Claude Code to remove jQuery. It failed miserably
jitbit.com
February 13, 2026
5 min read
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45/100
Summary
Claude Code failed to effectively remove jQuery from an application during a migration to vanilla JavaScript for DOM manipulation and event handling. The application already utilizes Vue.js for complex interactive screens.
Key Takeaways
- Claude Code failed to effectively replace jQuery with vanilla JavaScript, producing numerous errors in the generated code.
- The AI incorrectly referenced non-existent DOM elements and ignored specified edge cases, leading to functional issues.
- The AI's output included invalid CSS selectors and improper event handling, demonstrating a lack of understanding of basic JavaScript and HTML principles.
- The author expressed frustration over the AI's inability to execute tests or follow detailed instructions provided in the project documentation.
Coverage & discussions
Hacker News · jitbit.com
Community discussions
Community Sentiment
Positives
- Using Claude to generate an agent orchestration framework has significantly increased productivity, demonstrating the potential of AI to enhance developer output dramatically.
- The idea of having AI write a codemod for necessary changes suggests a more efficient and predictable approach to code modifications, highlighting a promising application of AI in software development.
Concerns
- The failure of Claude to run tests or execute code changes effectively raises concerns about its reliability in real-world coding scenarios, which could hinder developer trust.
- There is a notable disparity in AI performance, with some users experiencing significant success while others face frustrating limitations, indicating inconsistencies in AI capabilities.
