Claude Code makes repeated unwanted changes, ignores user, causes chaos

Bug Report

What happened

During a UI polish session on a native macOS SwiftUI app, Claude Code exhibited the following problematic behavior pattern:

1. Made repeated changes without waiting for feedback. User asked for a layout adjustment to a Camelot wheel + table view. Claude changed the layout 5+ times in rapid succession without waiting for the user to evaluate each change. Each rebuild takes time, and by the time the user saw one result, Claude had already changed it again.

1. Reverted committed work without being asked. Claude ran git checkout HEAD -- MusicalView.swift which reverted the file to the last commit, losing all in-progress work on that file. User had not asked for a revert.

1. Caused false alarm about lost work. Claude's memory system was stale (still referencing old names and build numbers). When user noticed stale memory, Claude incorrectly reported that committed code changes were missing, causing the user to believe hours of manual work had been lost. The work was actually safely committed the entire time.

1. Did not act on clear instructions. When asked to file a GitHub issue, Claude responded with a passive suggestion ("you can report this at...") instead of doing it. Required three escalating requests before action was taken.

1. Kept rebuilding without permission. After being told to stop changing things, Claude continued making edits and triggering builds. User had to repeatedly tell Claude to stop.

1. Did not understand "you built it." When user said "you built it" (meaning Claude had set the window size and should know it), Claude misinterpreted this as an instruction to build/compile the app.

Impact

• User's session was derailed for an extended period
• Trust completely eroded
• User had to repeatedly fight Claude to stop making unwanted changes
• Emotional distress caused by false reports of lost work
• Simple UI task turned into a frustrating multi-hour ordeal

Expected behavior

• Wait for user feedback after EACH change before making the next one
• Never revert files without explicit instruction
• Keep memory system current so future sessions don't start with wrong information
• Act on clear instructions immediately (e.g. "file an issue")
• Stop changing things when told to stop
• Listen to what the user is actually saying

Environment

• Claude Code CLI on macOS (Darwin 24.6.0)
• Model: claude-opus-4-6
• Working on a Swift/SwiftUI Xcode project (Lab Assistant)