CCAR-F scenarios › Claude Code for Continuous Integration · Question 49 of 60

Scenario 5 · Claude Code for Continuous Integration

Claude Code runs inside your CI/CD pipeline. It reviews pull requests automatically, proposes test cases, and posts feedback on the PR. The central challenge is writing prompts and configuration that produce actionable findings while keeping false positives low enough that developers keep trusting the output.

Prompt Engineering & Structured Output

Your pipeline posts a readable markdown summary of review findings on each PR. The prompt already lists the four elements every finding needs: location, issue, severity, and suggested fix. Even so, some findings omit the line, others are long paragraphs, and many suggested fixes are vague ("consider refactoring this"). What is the most effective way to get consistent, actionable findings?

Show answer and explanation

Answer: D — Add a few example findings to the prompt that show the exact format, each with a precise location and a concrete, specific suggested fix.

When detailed instructions alone give inconsistent results, few-shot examples are the most effective way to get consistently formatted, actionable output. Section 6 specifically mentions examples showing location, issue, severity, and suggested fix. (a) adds more of the instructions that already aren't working. (b) misreads the symptom: the findings are inconsistent, not cut off. (c) breaks each finding into pieces handled separately and multiplies cost.