ChatGPT Real-Life Usage Guide for Developers — 2026 Edition

I'm getting this error in my [language/framework]:

ERROR:
[paste full error + stack trace]

RELEVANT CODE:
```[language]
[paste the function/block where error occurs]
```

WHAT I EXPECTED: [describe expected behavior]
WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENS: [describe actual behavior]
WHAT I'VE TRIED: [list your attempts]

Please:
1. Explain the root cause in plain English
2. Give the exact fix with code
3. Explain why the fix works

Review this [language] code and check for:

1. BUGS — Logic errors, edge cases, off-by-one
2. SECURITY — SQL injection, XSS, auth bypass, data exposure
3. PERFORMANCE — N+1 queries, unnecessary loops, missing indexes
4. READABILITY — Naming, comments, complexity

For each issue found:
- Quote the specific line
- Explain the problem
- Provide the fix

```[language]
[paste code here]
```

Write comprehensive unit tests for this [language] function.

Cover these categories:
- Happy path (normal input)
- Edge cases (empty, null, zero, max values)
- Error cases (invalid types, out of range)
- Boundary conditions

Use [Jest/Pytest/Vitest/etc.] syntax.
Group tests with descriptive describe/it blocks.

```[language]
[paste function here]
```

Generate complete documentation for this [language] code.

Include:
- Module/file overview (2-3 sentences)
- JSDoc/docstring for each function with @param, @returns, @throws, @example
- README section explaining what this module does and how to use it
- Any important warnings or limitations

```[language]
[paste code here]
```

Write a SQL query for PostgreSQL.

SCHEMA:
- users(id, name, email, created_at, plan)
- orders(id, user_id, total, status, created_at)
- products(id, name, price, category)
- order_items(order_id, product_id, quantity, price)

WHAT I NEED:
Top 10 customers by revenue in the last 30 days,
showing: name, email, order count, total spent.
Only include customers on the 'pro' plan.
Sort by total_spent descending.

Also: add an index suggestion if the query will be slow.

Write a TypeScript function to transform this data:

INPUT FORMAT:
```json
[
  { "user_id": 123, "first_name": "Alice", "last_name": "Smith", "role_ids": [1, 3] },
  { "user_id": 124, "first_name": "Bob", "last_name": "Jones", "role_ids": [2] }
]
```

OUTPUT FORMAT NEEDED:
```json
{
  "123": { "name": "Alice Smith", "roles": ["admin", "editor"] },
  "124": { "name": "Bob Jones", "roles": ["viewer"] }
}
```

Role mapping: 1=admin, 2=viewer, 3=editor

Requirements: TypeScript with types, handle null role_ids gracefully.

Write a regex pattern for [JavaScript/Python/etc.].

WHAT IT SHOULD MATCH:
- Valid email addresses
- Allow: letters, numbers, dots, hyphens, plus signs before @
- Domain: standard format (letters, numbers, hyphens)
- TLD: 2-10 characters

WHAT IT SHOULD NOT MATCH:
- Emails with spaces
- Missing @ or domain
- Double dots

Give me:
1. The regex pattern
2. Explanation of each part
3. 5 test cases (3 valid, 2 invalid)

Design a RESTful API for a task management app.

Features needed:
- Users can create projects
- Projects have tasks with title, description, status, due date, assignee
- Tasks can be commented on
- Users have roles: owner, member, viewer

For each endpoint, provide:
- Method + URL
- Request body (if applicable)
- Response format with example
- Status codes used

Follow REST best practices and consistent naming.

Refactor this [language] code to modern standards.

GOALS:
- Maintain 100% identical behavior (no new bugs)
- Use [ES2022 / Python 3.10 / Java 17+] syntax
- Apply: [async/await instead of callbacks, destructuring, optional chaining]
- Improve readability (better names, extract functions over X lines)

CONSTRAINTS:
- Do NOT change the public API / function signatures
- Do NOT add new dependencies
- Flag any behavior I should double-check after refactoring

```[language]
[paste legacy code here]
```