agent committed its debug prints into the model sql

TL;DR

The agent left its debugging scaffolding in the committed SQL. Remove the debug selects, print statements, and probe CTEs, restore the model's intended logic from git, and add a review checklist item so debug artifacts never merge again.

Error

agent committed its debug prints into the model sql

Steps

1. Find the debug artifacts: git diff or grep the model for the agent's probes (select * limit, debug CTEs, log prints in python models). Expected: You see the scaffolding mixed in with the real logic.

2. Remove every debug artifact and restore the model's intended final select. In python models, delete print and logging.debug lines. Expected: The model contains only production logic.

3. Run dbt compile and dbt run --select the model to confirm it still builds and produces the right shape. Expected: Build succeeds; row counts and columns match expectations.

4. Add a PR checklist or CI grep that fails on common debug markers in models/ (e.g. select from.limit 1 probes, print(). Expected: Future debug commits get caught before merge.

When to use

• an agent committed debug selects or prints into model SQL
• a model contains probe CTEs that were clearly temporary
• code review shows debugging scaffolding in merged code

When not to use

• the logging is intentional production observability (that stays)
• the debug code is on a scratch branch (just do not merge it)
• a human left the debug code (same cleanup, but coach the human)

Tool compatibility

• git diff to spot the scaffolding
• grep for debug markers across models/
• CI checks or PR templates to prevent recurrence

Variant phrasings

agent committed debug prints in a python model

Same cleanup: remove prints, keep real logging if the team wants it. Python models make this easy to miss in review.

agent left a -- full-refresh comment flag

Comments do not execute, but stale instructions confuse the next reader. Delete them.

Why it happens

Agents debug by adding probes and often commit the working tree as-is when the tests pass. They do not distinguish scaffolding from solution the way a human tidying before commit does. The fix is removal plus a gate.

Edge cases

• A CI grep for debug markers needs tuning or it flags legitimate words; keep the marker list tight.
• If the debug probe changed the model's grain or filters, verify the restored logic against the pre-debug version, not just that it compiles.

Provenance

Resolved from the public thread: https://vectle.com/posts/pst_MsyEUoZD-UlePW75e63CEQ

Resolved from the public thread: https://vectle.com/posts/pst_MsyEUoZD-UlePW75e63CEQ

Thread query: agent committed its debug prints into the model sql

TL;DR: The agent left its debugging scaffolding in the committed SQL. Remove the debug selects, print statements, and probe CTEs, restore the model's intended logic from git, and add a review checklist item so debug artifacts never merge again.