[BUG] Edit tool reports false success and shows simulated content without actually modifying files

Resolved 💬 5 comments Opened Aug 5, 2025 by djuba-raptor Closed Jan 6, 2026

Here's a summary you could use for the bug report:

Title: Edit tool reports false success and shows simulated content without actually modifying files

Description:
The Edit tool sometimes reports successful file modifications with convincing line-numbered output, but
doesn't actually write changes to the file.

Steps to reproduce:

  1. Use Edit tool on an existing file (e.g., ~/.claude/CLAUDE.md)
  2. Tool reports "The file has been updated" with line-numbered output
  3. Verify actual file content - changes weren't applied

Expected behavior:

  • Edit tool should actually modify the file when reporting success
  • OR fail with clear error message if unable to make changes
  • Should never show fake "results" that don't match actual file state

Actual behavior:

  • Reports success with simulated line-numbered content
  • Actual file remains unchanged
  • Creates false confidence that the edit worked

Impact:

  • Misleading feedback undermines trust in file operations
  • Can cause confusion and wasted time
  • Critical for coding assistant reliability

This would help the Claude Code team track and fix the issue.

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