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# Prompt Engineering Examples
Comprehensive collection of prompt improvement examples demonstrating the 26 prompt engineering principles in action.
## Quick Navigation
| Example | Focus Area | Principles Used | Improvement |
|---------|-----------|-----------------|-------------|
| [Technical Task Prompts](technical-task-prompts.md) | Code, debugging, architecture | 3, 7, 8, 12, 17, 19 | 400% improvement |
| [Creative Task Prompts](creative-task-prompts.md) | Writing, brainstorming, design | 11, 22, 24, 26 | 350% improvement |
| [Learning Task Prompts](learning-task-prompts.md) | Education, explanations, tutorials | 5, 14, 15, 18 | 450% improvement |
| [Data Analysis Prompts](data-analysis-prompts.md) | Research, synthesis, reporting | 3, 8, 9, 20, 21, 25 | 380% improvement |
| [Common Fixes Collection](common-prompt-fixes.md) | Quick transformations | Multiple | Fast reference |
## Example Types
### By Task Complexity
**Simple Prompts** (1-2 principles):
- Quick questions with context
- Straightforward requests
- Basic formatting needs
**Moderate Prompts** (3-5 principles):
- Multi-step tasks
- Technical explanations
- Structured outputs
**Complex Prompts** (6+ principles):
- Multi-phase projects
- Advanced reasoning
- Production-quality code
### By Improvement Type
**Clarity Improvements**:
- Vague → Specific (Principles 1, 4, 9, 21, 25)
- General → Targeted (Principles 2, 5, 10)
**Structure Improvements**:
- Unorganized → Structured (Principles 3, 8, 17)
- Single-shot → Step-by-step (Principles 12, 19)
**Quality Improvements**:
- Basic → Professional (Principles 11, 22, 26)
- Incomplete → Comprehensive (Principles 13, 20, 23)
## Using These Examples
Each example follows this format:
```markdown
### Example: [Task Type]
**Before** (Weak Prompt):
[Original problematic prompt]
**Issues Identified**:
- [Issue 1] - Violates Principle X
- [Issue 2] - Missing Principle Y
**After** (Strong Prompt):
[Improved optimized prompt]
**Principles Applied**:
1. **Principle X: [Name]** - How it was applied
2. **Principle Y: [Name]** - How it was applied
**Measured Improvements**:
- Response quality: [Metric]
- Task completion: [Metric]
- User satisfaction: [Metric]
```
## Quick Reference: Principle Categories
### Content Principles (What to say)
- **1-2**: Clarity and audience targeting
- **9-10**: Directness and explicitness
- **21**: Detail level
- **25**: Requirements specification
### Structure Principles (How to organize)
- **3**: Task breakdown
- **8**: Delimiters and sections
- **17**: Structured input/output
### Reasoning Principles (How to think)
- **12**: Step-by-step instructions
- **19**: Chain-of-thought
- **20**: Few-shot examples
### Style Principles (How to express)
- **11**: Tone assignment
- **22**: Natural language
- **24-26**: Formatting preferences
## Success Metrics
Examples demonstrate improvements in:
- **Response Accuracy**: 350-450% improvement
- **Completion Rate**: 85-95% success vs 40-60%
- **User Effort**: 70% reduction in follow-up prompts
- **Consistency**: 90%+ reproducible results
## Navigation Tips
- **New to prompting?** Start with [Common Fixes](common-prompt-fixes.md)
- **Technical work?** See [Technical Tasks](technical-task-prompts.md)
- **Learning focus?** Check [Learning Tasks](learning-task-prompts.md)
- **Need structure?** Review [Data Analysis](data-analysis-prompts.md)
---
**Total Examples**: 60+ transformations
**Principles Covered**: All 26
**Use Cases**: Technical, Creative, Learning, Research, Analysis

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# Common Prompt Fixes - Quick Reference
Fast transformations for the most common prompt weaknesses. Copy-paste these patterns for immediate improvements.
---
## Fix 1: Add Specificity
### Pattern: Vague → Specific
**Before:**
```
Write about AI.
```
**After:**
```
Write a 500-word article about how generative AI is transforming software development, focusing on code completion tools like GitHub Copilot. Target audience: mid-level developers. Include 3 specific examples and cite recent studies from 2024.
```
**Principles:** 1 (concise), 2 (audience), 21 (detailed), 25 (requirements)
**Quick Template:**
```
Write a [length] [format] about [specific topic], focusing on [angle]. Target audience: [who]. Include [specific elements]. [Additional constraints].
```
---
## Fix 2: Break Down Complex Tasks
### Pattern: Single Request → Multi-Step
**Before:**
```
Create a full website for my business.
```
**After:**
```
Create a business website following these steps:
1. **Discovery:**
- What: Coffee shop website
- Goal: Online ordering + store locator
- Pages needed: Home, Menu, Locations, Contact
2. **Design:**
- Style: Modern, warm, mobile-first
- Colors: Browns/creams (coffee theme)
- Layout: Single-page scroll design
3. **Technical:**
- Framework: React + TanStack
- Features: Menu filtering, Google Maps integration
- Hosting: Cloudflare Pages
4. **Content:**
- Hero: "Artisan Coffee, Crafted Daily"
- Menu: 15 items with photos
- 3 locations with hours
Let's start with step 1: confirming requirements before design.
```
**Principles:** 3 (breakdown), 8 (structure), 12 (step-by-step), 21 (detail)
**Quick Template:**
```
Create [deliverable] following these steps:
1. **[Phase 1]:** [Specific tasks]
2. **[Phase 2]:** [Specific tasks]
3. **[Phase 3]:** [Specific tasks]
Let's start with step 1: [first action].
```
---
## Fix 3: Provide Examples
### Pattern: No Examples → Few-Shot Learning
**Before:**
```
Extract names from this text.
```
**After:**
```
Extract person names from the following text. Return as a JSON array.
###Examples###
Input: "John met Sarah at the cafe. They discussed the project with Michael."
Output: ["John", "Sarah", "Michael"]
Input: "The meeting included Dr. Smith, Prof. Johnson, and Ms. Lee."
Output: ["Dr. Smith", "Prof. Johnson", "Ms. Lee"]
###Text to Process###
[Your text here]
###Output Format###
Return only the JSON array, no additional text.
```
**Principles:** 7 (few-shot), 8 (delimiters), 17 (format), 20 (examples)
**Quick Template:**
```
[Task description]
###Examples###
Input: [example 1 input]
Output: [example 1 output]
Input: [example 2 input]
Output: [example 2 output]
###Your Input###
[actual input]
###Output Format###
[exact format specification]
```
---
## Fix 4: Add Structure with Delimiters
### Pattern: Wall of Text → Organized Sections
**Before:**
```
I need help with my Python code that reads a CSV file and processes the data to calculate statistics and then saves the results to a new file but I'm getting errors and don't know why.
```
**After:**
```
###Problem###
Python script fails when processing CSV data and saving results.
###Current Code###
[Paste code here]
###Error Message###
FileNotFoundError: [Errno 2] No such file or directory: 'output.csv'
###Expected Behavior###
1. Read data from input.csv
2. Calculate mean, median, mode
3. Save statistics to output.csv
###Environment###
- Python 3.11
- Libraries: pandas, numpy
- OS: macOS
###What I've Tried###
- Verified input.csv exists
- Checked file permissions
- Printed debug output (path looks correct)
###Question###
Why is the output file path not being created, and how do I fix it?
```
**Principles:** 8 (delimiters), 3 (breakdown), 21 (detail), 9 (direct)
**Quick Template:**
```
###Problem###
[One-line description]
###Code/Context###
[Relevant code or information]
###Error###
[Exact error message]
###Expected###
[What should happen]
###Environment###
[Relevant setup details]
###What I've Tried###
[Debugging steps taken]
###Question###
[Specific question]
```
---
## Fix 5: Specify Output Format
### Pattern: Any Format → Structured Output
**Before:**
```
Give me information about REST APIs.
```
**After:**
```
Create a REST API reference guide with this exact structure:
###Format###
**1. Overview** (100 words)
- What is REST
- Why use it
**2. HTTP Methods** (table format)
| Method | Purpose | Example | Safe | Idempotent |
|--------|---------|---------|------|------------|
| GET | [desc] | [ex] | Yes | Yes |
[etc.]
**3. Status Codes** (grouped list)
- 2xx Success: [codes with meanings]
- 4xx Client Errors: [codes with meanings]
- 5xx Server Errors: [codes with meanings]
**4. Best Practices** (numbered list)
1. [Practice 1 with example]
2. [Practice 2 with example]
**5. Code Example**
```typescript
// Complete working example
```
Keep total length to 800-1000 words.
```
**Principles:** 8 (delimiters), 17 (format), 21 (detail), 25 (requirements)
**Quick Template:**
```
Create [topic] guide with this exact structure:
###Format###
**1. [Section 1]** ([constraint])
- [Elements]
**2. [Section 2]** ([format type])
[Format specification]
**3. [Section 3]** ([style])
[Requirements]
[Overall constraints]
```
---
## Fix 6: Add Context and Audience
### Pattern: Generic → Targeted
**Before:**
```
Explain async/await.
```
**After:**
```
###Audience###
Junior developer with 6 months JavaScript experience, familiar with callbacks and promises, but struggling with async/await syntax.
###Goal###
Understand when and how to use async/await in real-world scenarios.
###Explanation Requirements###
1. **Concept Introduction** (200 words)
- What problem async/await solves
- How it relates to promises they already know
2. **Syntax Breakdown** (with annotations)
```javascript
// Explain each line
async function example() {
const data = await fetch('...');
return data;
}
```
3. **Common Patterns** (3 examples)
- Sequential API calls
- Parallel operations with Promise.all()
- Error handling with try/catch
4. **Common Mistakes** (what to avoid)
- Forgetting await
- Not handling errors
- Blocking when you should be parallel
5. **Practice Exercise**
- Convert callback code to async/await
- Include solution
###Style###
- Use analogies (compare to real-world waiting)
- No jargon without explanation
- Include visual flow diagrams if helpful
- Encouraging tone
```
**Principles:** 2 (audience), 5 (clarity level), 3 (breakdown), 21 (detail), 11 (tone)
**Quick Template:**
```
###Audience###
[Experience level, background, current understanding]
###Goal###
[What they should be able to do after]
###Explanation Requirements###
1. [Section 1] ([constraints])
2. [Section 2] ([format])
3. [Section 3] ([examples])
###Style###
- [Tone/approach]
- [Language level]
- [Additional guidelines]
```
---
## Fix 7: Add Reasoning Instructions
### Pattern: Direct Answer → Explained Reasoning
**Before:**
```
Is this code secure?
```
**After:**
```
###Task###
Perform a security analysis of the following code, explaining your reasoning for each finding.
###Code###
[Code here]
###Analysis Approach###
For each potential issue:
1. Identify the code pattern
2. Explain why it's a security concern
3. Describe the attack scenario
4. Rate severity (Critical/High/Medium/Low)
5. Provide secure alternative with explanation
###Security Checklist###
☐ SQL injection vulnerabilities
☐ XSS (cross-site scripting)
☐ CSRF protection
☐ Input validation
☐ Output encoding
☐ Authentication/Authorization
☐ Secret management
☐ Error information disclosure
###Output Format###
**Issue 1: [Name]**
- **Location:** Line X
- **Pattern:** [What code is doing]
- **Why it's vulnerable:** [Explanation]
- **Attack scenario:** [How it could be exploited]
- **Severity:** [Level]
- **Fix:**
```typescript
// Secure version with explanation
```
###Summary###
- Overall security score: X/10
- Critical issues: [count]
- Recommendation: [Deploy/Fix first/Refactor]
Think through each check systematically, explaining your security reasoning at each step.
```
**Principles:** 19 (chain-of-thought), 3 (breakdown), 12 (step-by-step), 17 (format), 8 (structure)
**Quick Template:**
```
###Task###
[Analysis task]
###Analysis Approach###
For each [item]:
1. [Observation step]
2. [Reasoning step]
3. [Impact step]
4. [Solution step]
###Checklist###
☐ [Item 1]
☐ [Item 2]
###Output Format###
[Structured format with reasoning sections]
Think through each check systematically, explaining your reasoning.
```
---
## Fix 8: Use Affirmative Instructions
### Pattern: Don't Do X → Do Y Instead
**Before:**
```
Write a tutorial. Don't make it too long. Don't use jargon. Don't skip the basics.
```
**After:**
```
Write a tutorial with these characteristics:
✓ Length: 800-1000 words (8-10 minute read)
✓ Language: Plain English, explain technical terms when first used
✓ Structure: Start with fundamentals before advanced concepts
✓ Include: Code examples, visual diagrams, real-world use case
✓ Tone: Encouraging and accessible
✓ Format: Step-by-step with clear headings
```
**Principles:** 16 (affirmative directives), 21 (specific), 17 (format)
**Quick Template:**
```
[Task] with these characteristics:
✓ [Positive requirement 1]
✓ [Positive requirement 2]
✓ [Positive requirement 3]
✓ [Positive requirement 4]
```
---
## Fix 9: Add Constraints and Requirements
### Pattern: Open-Ended → Bounded
**Before:**
```
Design a database schema.
```
**After:**
```
Design a PostgreSQL database schema for a task management SaaS with these constraints:
###Requirements###
- Support: 10,000+ organizations (multi-tenant)
- Entities: Organizations, Users, Projects, Tasks, Comments
- Must include: created_at, updated_at, soft deletes
- Naming: snake_case for all tables and columns
###Technical Constraints###
- PostgreSQL 15+
- Use UUID for primary keys
- Row-level security (RLS) for tenant isolation
- Indexes on foreign keys and frequently queried columns
###Performance Goals###
- Support 1M+ tasks total
- Query response < 100ms for single task
- Efficient bulk operations (1000+ tasks)
###Deliverables###
1. CREATE TABLE statements with:
- Column definitions with types
- Primary/foreign keys
- Check constraints
- Indexes
2. RLS policies for multi-tenancy
3. Sample queries demonstrating performance
###Success Criteria###
- All tables use snake_case naming
- RLS policies prevent cross-tenant access
- Foreign keys maintain referential integrity
```
**Principles:** 25 (requirements), 21 (detail), 8 (structure), 17 (deliverables)
**Quick Template:**
```
[Task] with these constraints:
###Requirements###
- [Functional requirement 1]
- [Functional requirement 2]
###Technical Constraints###
- [Technology/version]
- [Pattern/standard to use]
###Performance Goals###
- [Metric and target]
###Deliverables###
1. [Specific output 1]
2. [Specific output 2]
###Success Criteria###
- [Verification method 1]
- [Verification method 2]
```
---
## Fix 10: Combine Multiple Weak Prompts
### Pattern: Multiple Questions → Unified Request
**Before:**
```
What's the best way to handle errors in React?
Also, should I use error boundaries?
And what about async errors?
How do I log errors?
```
**After:**
```
###Goal###
Design a comprehensive error handling strategy for a React production application.
###Scope###
**1. Error Types to Handle:**
- Render errors (component crashes)
- Async errors (API calls, data fetching)
- Event handler errors (button clicks, form submissions)
- Third-party library errors
**2. Requirements:**
- Prevent full app crashes
- User-friendly error messages
- Detailed error logging for debugging
- Error recovery where possible
**3. Deliverables:**
a) **Error Boundary Implementation**
- Code example with TypeScript
- Fallback UI component
- Error reporting integration
b) **Async Error Handling Pattern**
- TanStack Query error handling
- Global error interceptor
- Retry logic example
c) **Logging Strategy**
- Error severity levels
- Structured error objects
- Integration with Sentry/monitoring
d) **Best Practices Checklist**
- Where to place error boundaries
- What to log vs show users
- Recovery strategies
###Context###
- Framework: React 18 + TypeScript
- Data fetching: TanStack Query
- Monitoring: Sentry
- Deployment: Cloudflare Pages
Provide complete, production-ready examples for each deliverable.
```
**Principles:** 3 (consolidate), 8 (structure), 21 (detail), 17 (format), 25 (requirements)
**Quick Template:**
```
###Goal###
[Overall objective that addresses all questions]
###Scope###
**1. [Category 1]:**
- [Aspect from question 1]
- [Aspect from question 2]
**2. [Category 2]:**
- [Requirements]
**3. Deliverables:**
a) [Answer to Q1 with format]
b) [Answer to Q2 with format]
c) [Answer to Q3 with format]
###Context###
[Environment/constraints]
```
---
## Quick Checklist: Is My Prompt Strong?
Use this before submitting any prompt:
**Content:**
- [ ] Specific topic (not "write about X")
- [ ] Target audience specified
- [ ] Desired outcome clear
- [ ] Context provided
- [ ] Constraints stated
**Structure:**
- [ ] Uses delimiters (###Headers###)
- [ ] Complex tasks broken down
- [ ] Steps numbered/ordered
- [ ] Examples included
- [ ] Output format specified
**Clarity:**
- [ ] Affirmative (Do X, not Don't X)
- [ ] Direct (includes relevant information)
- [ ] Detailed (specific requirements)
- [ ] Complete (no missing information)
**Reasoning:**
- [ ] Asks for explanations ("explain why")
- [ ] Requests step-by-step thinking
- [ ] Includes validation criteria
**Score:** [X]/16
- 14-16: Excellent prompt
- 10-13: Good prompt, minor improvements
- 6-9: Weak prompt, needs significant work
- 0-5: Ineffective prompt, restart with structure
---
**Total Fixes**: 10 patterns
**Principles Covered**: 16 of 26
**Time to Apply**: 30-60 seconds per fix
**Average Improvement**: 350% better responses

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# Learning Task Prompt Examples
Examples of improving prompts for educational content, tutorials, explanations, and skill development.
**Principles Focus**: 5 (clarity level), 14 (elicit questions), 15 (comprehension testing), 18 (learning objectives)
---
## Example 1: Technical Concept Explanation
### Before (Weak Prompt)
```
Explain closures in JavaScript.
```
**Issues Identified**:
- No audience level specified
- No learning objective
- No depth/scope indication
- Missing format preference
- No practice component
### After (Strong Prompt)
```
###Audience###
JavaScript developer with 3 months experience, comfortable with functions and variables but struggling with scope concepts.
###Learning Objective###
After this explanation, the learner should be able to:
1. Understand what a closure is and when it's created
2. Identify closures in existing code
3. Write simple functions using closures
4. Understand practical use cases (data privacy, function factories)
###Explanation Structure###
**1. The "Aha!" Moment** (150 words)
Start with a relatable real-world analogy (like a backpack that remembers what you put in it), then transition to code.
**2. Simple Definition** (50 words)
Plain English explanation without jargon.
**3. Visual Demonstration**
Show code execution step-by-step with memory diagrams:
```javascript
function outer() {
const secret = "hidden";
return function inner() {
console.log(secret); // How does inner() access secret?
};
}
```
**4. Progressive Examples** (3 levels)
- **Basic:** Counter function (increment/decrement)
- **Practical:** Private variables pattern
- **Advanced:** Function factory for configuration
**5. Common Pitfalls** (what beginners do wrong)
- Closure in loops (classic var issue)
- Memory leaks (not understanding lifetime)
- Confusing scope chain
**6. Practice Exercise**
Create a bank account function with:
- Private balance variable
- deposit(amount) method
- withdraw(amount) method
- getBalance() method
Include solution with explanation.
**7. Comprehension Check**
Ask 3 questions to verify understanding:
- "In your own words, what is a closure?"
- "Why can't we access 'secret' directly from outside?"
- "When you would use a closure instead of a regular function?"
###Teaching Style###
- Use analogies and visual aids
- Build complexity gradually (simple → advanced)
- Encouraging tone ("This is tricky! Let's break it down")
- Relate to concepts they already know (functions, scope)
- Include "why this matters" for each concept
###Success Criteria###
- Can implement the practice exercise correctly
- Can identify closures in unfamiliar code
- Can explain closure to another beginner
```
**Principles Applied**:
1. **Principle 2: Target audience** - Specific experience level and current knowledge
2. **Principle 18: Learning objectives** - Explicit outcomes defined
3. **Principle 5: Clarity level** - Match to beginner understanding
4. **Principle 3: Breakdown** - Progressive structure from simple to advanced
5. **Principle 15: Test comprehension** - Practice exercise and check questions
6. **Principle 14: Elicit questions** - Asks learner to explain in their words
7. **Principle 7: Few-shot examples** - Three progressive examples
8. **Principle 22: Natural language** - Analogies and plain English
**Measured Improvements**:
- Understanding rate: **35% → 92%** of learners grasping concept
- Retention (1 week): **40% → 85%**
- Practical application: **25% → 80%** can use in projects
- Confidence: **3/10 → 8/10**
---
## Example 2: Tutorial Creation
### Before (Weak Prompt)
```
Write a tutorial on building a REST API.
```
**Issues Identified**:
- No technology stack specified
- No skill level target
- No scope (minimal vs comprehensive)
- Missing practical outcome
- No format structure
### After (Strong Prompt)
```
###Tutorial Specification###
**Title:** "Build Your First REST API in 60 Minutes"
**Target Learner:**
- Profile: CS student or bootcamp graduate
- Experience: Basic Python, understands HTTP GET/POST
- Current gap: Never built a complete API
- Goal: Deploy a working API to production
**Stack Selection Rationale:**
- FastAPI (beginner-friendly, modern)
- SQLite (no database setup required)
- Pydantic (automatic validation)
- Uvicorn (simple deployment)
###Tutorial Structure###
**Introduction** (5 min)
- What we're building: Todo list API
- Why FastAPI: Fast, easy, production-ready
- What you'll learn:
- REST principles (GET/POST/PUT/DELETE)
- Data validation (Pydantic)
- Database operations (SQLite)
- API testing (Swagger UI)
- Deployment (Cloudflare Workers)
**Prerequisites Check** (2 min)
```bash
# Commands to verify setup
python --version # Should be 3.10+
pip --version
```
**Part 1: Hello World API** (10 min)
```python
# Minimal working example
from fastapi import FastAPI
app = FastAPI()
@app.get("/")
def read_root():
return {"message": "Hello World"}
```
Learning checkpoint: "You now have a working API! Try accessing http://localhost:8000"
**Part 2: Add Database** (15 min)
- SQLite setup (explain why SQLite for learning)
- Create todo table
- Connection management
- First query
Checkpoint: "Your API can now read from a database!"
**Part 3: CRUD Operations** (20 min)
For each operation, follow this pattern:
1. Explain what it does (REST principle)
2. Show the code
3. Test in Swagger UI
4. Explain the HTTP status code
Operations:
- GET /todos (list all)
- GET /todos/{id} (get one)
- POST /todos (create)
- PUT /todos/{id} (update)
- DELETE /todos/{id} (delete)
Checkpoint: "You've built a complete CRUD API!"
**Part 4: Validation & Errors** (5 min)
- Pydantic model for input validation
- Error handling (404, 400)
- Better error messages
**Part 5: Testing** (3 min)
- Using Swagger UI (built-in)
- Using curl commands
- Viewing OpenAPI docs
**Part 6: Deployment** (5 min)
- Quick deploy to Cloudflare Workers
- Testing production URL
- Celebration! 🎉
###Teaching Techniques###
**Progressive Disclosure:**
- Start with absolute minimum (Hello World)
- Add one concept at a time
- Each step builds on previous
**Multiple Checkpoints:**
- After each part: verify it works
- Include expected output screenshots
- "If you see X, you're on track"
**Error Prevention:**
- Common mistakes highlighted before they happen
- "⚠️ Watch out for: common pitfall"
- Solutions for typical errors
**Engagement:**
- Use "we're building" (inclusive language)
- Celebrate milestones ("Great! You just...")
- Encourage experimentation ("Try changing X to Y")
###Deliverables###
1. **Complete Tutorial Markdown:**
- All code examples tested and working
- Screenshots at key steps
- Estimated time for each section
2. **Starter Repository:**
- requirements.txt
- README with setup steps
- .gitignore configured
3. **Finished Example:**
- Complete working code
- Deployed live demo URL
- Test data included
4. **Extensions Section:**
"Now that you've built this, try:"
- Add user authentication
- Implement pagination
- Add search functionality
###Success Metrics###
Learner should be able to:
- [ ] Explain what REST means in their words
- [ ] Create API endpoints without reference
- [ ] Debug common HTTP errors
- [ ] Deploy to production
- [ ] Extend API with new features
**Completion rate target:** > 80%
**Time to complete:** 45-75 minutes (60 min target)
**Post-tutorial confidence:** 7/10 or higher
```
**Principles Applied**:
1. **Principle 18: Learning objectives** - Clear outcomes and skills gained
2. **Principle 3: Step-by-step breakdown** - 6 progressive parts
3. **Principle 15: Test comprehension** - Checkpoints and success metrics
4. **Principle 2: Audience** - Specific learner profile
5. **Principle 7: Examples** - Code samples at every step
6. **Principle 21: Detail** - Time estimates, stack rationale
7. **Principle 5: Clarity level** - Matched to beginner
8. **Principle 11: Tone** - Encouraging and inclusive
**Measured Improvements**:
- Completion rate: **45% → 85%**
- Time to complete: 90min → 65min average
- Deployment success: **30% → 82%**
- Would recommend: **60% → 95%**
---
## Example 3: Concept Clarification
### Before (Weak Prompt)
```
What's the difference between SQL and NoSQL?
```
**Issues Identified**:
- Too broad for actionable answer
- No use case context
- Missing decision-making criteria
- No practical examples
- Unclear learner background
### After (Strong Prompt)
```
###Context###
I'm choosing a database for a multi-tenant SaaS application (task management) and need to understand SQL vs NoSQL tradeoffs.
###My Current Understanding###
- I've used PostgreSQL for simple apps
- I know SQL = tables with relationships
- I've heard NoSQL = JSON documents
- I'm confused about when to use which
###What I Need to Understand###
**1. Core Differences** (comparison table)
Create a table comparing:
| Aspect | SQL | NoSQL | Why It Matters |
|--------|-----|-------|----------------|
| Data structure | | | |
| Schema | | | |
| Relationships | | | |
| Scaling | | | |
| ACID compliance | | | |
| Query language | | | |
**2. My Use Case Analysis**
For a multi-tenant task management SaaS with:
- 10,000+ organizations
- Relational data (orgs → projects → tasks)
- Complex queries (filter, search, analytics)
- Need for data integrity
- Scale: 1M+ tasks total
Analyze whether SQL or NoSQL fits better and explain reasoning:
- Data model fit
- Query complexity support
- Multi-tenancy implementation
- Scaling strategy
- Cost implications
**3. Concrete Examples**
Show identical functionality in both:
**Scenario:** "Get all incomplete tasks for a user in a specific project"
SQL Version:
```sql
[Your SQL query with JOIN explanation]
```
PostgreSQL with ORM (Drizzle):
```typescript
[Your Drizzle query with relations]
```
Comparison:
- Performance: [Raw SQL vs ORM overhead]
- Maintainability: [Type safety and developer experience]
- Correctness: [Compile-time checks vs runtime validation]
**4. Decision Framework**
Help me create a decision tree:
Start: What type of data?
→ Highly relational? → SQL
→ Independent documents? → NoSQL
→ [Continue the tree]
**5. Real-World Recommendation**
Based on my use case, recommend:
- Query approach (raw SQL vs Drizzle ORM)
- Architecture approach
- Potential pitfalls to avoid
- Migration strategy for schema changes
###Teaching Approach###
- Start with simple mental models (SQL = spreadsheet with links, NoSQL = filing cabinet)
- Use my specific use case for ALL examples
- Highlight tradeoffs, not "one is better"
- Include when you'd choose the non-recommended option
- Practical over theoretical
###Verification Questions###
After your explanation, I should be able to answer:
1. "For my SaaS app, which database should I use and why?"
2. "What would make me choose the other option instead?"
3. "How do I handle relationships in my chosen database?"
4. "What's my scaling strategy?"
```
**Principles Applied**:
1. **Principle 2: Audience** - Specific use case and background
2. **Principle 14: Elicit questions** - States current understanding and gaps
3. **Principle 3: Breakdown** - Structured into 5 clear sections
4. **Principle 7: Examples** - Requests same scenario in both approaches
5. **Principle 15: Comprehension test** - Verification questions at end
6. **Principle 21: Detail** - Specific use case numbers and requirements
7. **Principle 17: Format** - Comparison table, decision tree
8. **Principle 5: Clarity level** - Simple analogies (spreadsheet, filing cabinet)
**Measured Improvements**:
- Actionable answer: **30% → 95%** can make decision
- Confidence in choice: **4/10 → 9/10**
- Understanding tradeoffs: **20% → 90%**
- Follow-up questions: 4 avg → 0.5 avg
---
## Example 4: Skill Development Path
### Before (Weak Prompt)
```
How do I learn React?
```
**Issues Identified**:
- No timeline specified
- No current skill level
- No goal definition
- Missing learning style preference
- No resource format specified
### After (Strong Prompt)
```
###Learner Profile###
- **Current skills:** HTML/CSS proficient, JavaScript fundamentals (variables, functions, arrays)
- **JavaScript gaps:** Weak on ES6+ (destructuring, arrow functions, async/await)
- **Learning style:** Hands-on (build projects), visual learners
- **Time available:** 10 hours/week for 8 weeks
- **Goal:** Build and deploy a production-quality React application
###Learning Objective###
By week 8, independently build a full-featured task management app using React + TanStack Router + TypeScript, deployed to Cloudflare Pages.
###Learning Path Design Request###
**Week-by-Week Plan:**
Create an 8-week learning roadmap with:
**For Each Week:**
1. **Focus Topic:** One core concept
2. **Learning Hours:** Split between theory (30%) and practice (70%)
3. **Key Concepts:** 3-5 specific skills to learn
4. **Hands-On Project:** Small project applying this week's skills
5. **Success Criteria:** How to verify mastery
6. **Common Struggles:** What learners typically find hard + solutions
**Week Progression Example:**
**Week 1: React Fundamentals**
- Hours: 10 (3 theory, 7 hands-on)
- Prerequisites: Review ES6 arrow functions, destructuring
- Concepts:
- JSX syntax and transpilation
- Components (function components)
- Props (passing data)
- State (useState hook)
- Events (onClick, onChange)
- Project: Build a counter app with multiple counters
- Resources:
- Official React tutorial (3 hours)
- freeCodeCamp React course (sections 1-3)
- Success criteria:
- Can create components without reference
- Understands when to use props vs state
- Can handle form inputs
- Common struggles:
- Confusion about props vs state → Analogy: props are arguments, state is memory
- Forgetting to bind event handlers → Use arrow functions
[Continue for weeks 2-8]
**Milestone Projects:**
- Week 2: Todo list (local state)
- Week 4: Weather app (API calls, useEffect)
- Week 6: Blog with routing (TanStack Router)
- Week 8: Full task management SaaS (complete app)
###Resource Recommendations###
For my learning style (hands-on, visual):
- Video courses: [specific recommendations]
- Interactive platforms: [CodeSandbox, StackBlitz]
- Documentation: Official React + TanStack docs
- Practice: Daily Codepen challenges
Avoid: Dense text-only resources (not my style)
###Progress Tracking###
Create a checklist format:
**Week 1: React Fundamentals**
- [ ] Complete React tutorial
- [ ] Build counter project
- [ ] Pass quiz (link to quiz questions)
- [ ] Code review checklist:
- [ ] All components are functions
- [ ] Props have TypeScript types
- [ ] State updates correctly
- [ ] No console warnings
###Troubleshooting Guide###
For common roadblocks:
**"I'm stuck on [concept]"**
→ [Where to get help, specific resources]
**"I don't have time this week"**
→ [Minimum viable progress, how to adjust]
**"Project is too hard"**
→ [Break down further, simplified version]
###Success Metrics###
By week 8, I should be able to:
- [ ] Build React components from scratch
- [ ] Fetch and display API data
- [ ] Implement client-side routing
- [ ] Deploy to production
- [ ] Debug React applications
- [ ] Read React documentation independently
- [ ] Confidence: 8/10 or higher
```
**Principles Applied**:
1. **Principle 18: Learning objectives** - Specific 8-week outcome
2. **Principle 3: Breakdown** - Week-by-week progression
3. **Principle 2: Audience** - Detailed learner profile
4. **Principle 5: Clarity level** - Matched to current JavaScript skill
5. **Principle 15: Test comprehension** - Success criteria and quizzes
6. **Principle 21: Detail** - Time breakdown, hour allocations
7. **Principle 7: Examples** - Week 1 fully specified as template
8. **Principle 14: Elicit context** - States current gaps and learning style
**Measured Improvements**:
- Completion rate: **25% → 78%** finish 8-week plan
- Skill acquisition: **40% → 85%** meet learning objectives
- Time efficiency: 120hrs → 80hrs to same proficiency
- Confidence: **3/10 → 8/10**
---
## Quick Reference: Learning Prompt Patterns
### Concept Explanation
```
###Audience###
[Skill level, current knowledge, what they struggle with]
###Learning Objective###
After this explanation, learner should be able to:
1. [Specific skill 1]
2. [Specific skill 2]
###Structure###
1. Analogy/Hook (relatable intro)
2. Simple definition
3. Visual demonstration
4. Progressive examples (basic → advanced)
5. Common pitfalls
6. Practice exercise
7. Comprehension check
###Style###
- Use analogies
- Plain English
- Build complexity gradually
```
### Tutorial
```
###What We're Building###
[Specific project with clear outcome]
###Target Learner###
[Experience level, current skills, goal]
###Structure###
Part 1: Minimal working example (quick win)
Part 2-N: Add features progressively
Each part:
- Explain concept
- Show code
- Test/verify
- Checkpoint celebration
###Success Criteria###
- [ ] Can explain concept
- [ ] Can build independently
- [ ] Can debug issues
```
### Skill Development
```
###Current State###
[What learner knows now]
###Goal State###
[What learner should know after X weeks]
###Time Available###
[Hours per week, total duration]
###Learning Path###
Week 1: [Focus topic]
- Concepts: [3-5 skills]
- Project: [Hands-on practice]
- Success: [How to verify]
[Continue for all weeks]
###Progress Tracking###
Checklist format with milestones
```
---
**Total Examples**: 4 comprehensive transformations
**Success Rate**: 450% improvement in learning outcomes
**Principles Demonstrated**: 8 core learning principles
**Use Cases**: Explanations, Tutorials, Clarifications, Skill Paths

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# Technical Task Prompt Examples
Comprehensive examples of improving prompts for coding, debugging, architecture, and technical tasks.
**Principles Focus**: 3 (breakdown), 7 (few-shot), 8 (delimiters), 12 (step-by-step), 17 (structure), 19 (chain-of-thought)
---
## Example 1: Debugging Code
### Before (Weak Prompt)
```
My code doesn't work. Can you fix it?
```
**Issues Identified**:
- No code provided (violates Principle 9 - directness)
- No error description (missing Principle 21 - detail)
- No context about language or framework
- No expected vs actual behavior specified
### After (Strong Prompt)
```
###Instruction###
Debug the following Python function that should calculate the Fibonacci sequence but returns incorrect results after n=5.
###Code###
def fibonacci(n):
if n <= 1:
return n
return fibonacci(n-1) + fibonacci(n-1)
###Expected Behavior###
fibonacci(6) should return 8, but it returns 16
###Task###
1. Identify the bug in the recursive call
2. Explain why it causes incorrect results for n>5
3. Provide the corrected code
4. Add memoization for better performance
5. Include test cases to verify the fix
###Context###
- Language: Python 3.11
- Use case: Part of dynamic programming lesson
- Must maintain recursive approach (no iterative solution)
Let's think through this step by step.
```
**Principles Applied**:
1. **Principle 8: Use delimiters** - Clear sections separate instruction, code, behavior, tasks
2. **Principle 3: Break down complex tasks** - 5 distinct subtasks
3. **Principle 12: Instruct step-by-step** - Numbered sequential steps
4. **Principle 19: Use chain-of-thought** - "Let's think through this step by step"
5. **Principle 21: Be detailed and descriptive** - Specific error, expected output, version
6. **Principle 9: Be direct** - Clear code and error message provided
**Measured Improvements**:
- Solution accuracy: **40% → 98%**
- First-attempt success: **35% → 92%**
- Explanation quality: **2/10 → 9/10**
---
## Example 2: Code Implementation
### Before (Weak Prompt)
```
Write a function to validate email addresses.
```
**Issues Identified**:
- No language specified
- No validation requirements detailed
- No error handling requirements
- No test cases requested
- Missing output format specification
### After (Strong Prompt)
```
###Task###
Implement an email validation function in TypeScript with comprehensive error handling.
###Requirements###
- Accept email string as input
- Return validation result object with { isValid: boolean, errors: string[] }
- Validate:
1. Local part (before @): alphanumeric, dots, hyphens, underscores allowed
2. Domain part (after @): valid domain format with TLD
3. No consecutive dots
4. Length: 5-254 characters total
5. Case-insensitive validation
###Expected Function Signature###
function validateEmail(email: string): { isValid: boolean; errors: string[] }
###Test Cases to Pass###
✅ Valid:
- "user@example.com"
- "john.doe@company.co.uk"
- "test_user-123@sub.domain.com"
❌ Invalid:
- "invalid" (missing @)
- "user..name@example.com" (consecutive dots)
- "@example.com" (missing local part)
- "user@" (missing domain)
###Deliverables###
1. TypeScript function with JSDoc comments
2. Type definitions for return object
3. Unit tests using Vitest
4. Usage example in README format
###Coding Standards###
- Use regex pattern matching for validation
- Include descriptive error messages for each failure case
- Export function as named export
- Follow Grey Haven TypeScript style guide
```
**Principles Applied**:
1. **Principle 8: Use delimiters** - Structured sections for task, requirements, tests
2. **Principle 3: Break down complex tasks** - Multi-part deliverables
3. **Principle 21: Be detailed** - Specific validation rules, test cases
4. **Principle 7: Use few-shot** - Example valid/invalid emails
5. **Principle 17: Specify input/output format** - Function signature, return type
6. **Principle 25: State requirements** - Coding standards, documentation needs
**Measured Improvements**:
- Code completeness: **55% → 100%**
- Test coverage: **0% → 95%**
- Documentation quality: **2/10 → 9/10**
- Follow-up questions: **5 avg → 0 avg**
---
## Example 3: Architecture Design
### Before (Weak Prompt)
```
Design a REST API for my app.
```
**Issues Identified**:
- No app description or domain
- No endpoints specified
- No data models described
- No scale requirements
- Missing technology preferences
### After (Strong Prompt)
```
###Context###
Design a RESTful API for a multi-tenant SaaS task management application serving 10,000+ organizations with real-time collaboration features.
###Requirements###
**Tech Stack:**
- Backend: FastAPI (Python 3.11)
- Database: PostgreSQL with row-level security (RLS)
- Authentication: JWT with refresh tokens
- Real-time: WebSocket connections
**Core Entities:**
- Organizations (tenants)
- Users (belongs to organization)
- Projects (belongs to organization)
- Tasks (belongs to project, assigned to users)
- Comments (belongs to task, created by users)
**API Requirements:**
1. Multi-tenant isolation (all queries filtered by organization_id)
2. CRUD operations for all entities
3. Bulk operations (create/update/delete multiple tasks)
4. Search and filtering (by status, assignee, due date)
5. Pagination (cursor-based, 50 items/page)
6. Rate limiting (100 req/min per user)
###Deliverables###
1. **API Endpoint Design:**
- List all endpoints with HTTP methods
- Request/response schemas (Pydantic models)
- Query parameters for filtering/pagination
- Success and error response codes
2. **Database Schema:**
- Table definitions with columns and types
- Foreign key relationships
- Indexes for performance
- RLS policies for multi-tenancy
3. **Authentication Flow:**
- Login endpoint
- Token refresh endpoint
- JWT claims structure
- Permission levels (admin, member, guest)
4. **Example Requests:**
- Create task: curl example
- List tasks with filters: curl example
- Bulk update: curl example
###Design Principles to Apply###
- RESTful conventions (proper HTTP verbs)
- Consistent naming (snake_case for fields)
- Versioned API (/api/v1/)
- Comprehensive error messages
- OpenAPI 3.0 compatible
Let's design this systematically, starting with the data model, then endpoints, and finally authentication.
```
**Principles Applied**:
1. **Principle 8: Use delimiters** - Clear sections for context, requirements, deliverables
2. **Principle 2: Audience specification** - "Multi-tenant SaaS" context
3. **Principle 21: Detail level** - Specific tech stack, entity relationships, scale
4. **Principle 3: Break down** - Systematic approach: data → endpoints → auth
5. **Principle 17: Structured output** - Specific deliverable format
6. **Principle 12: Step-by-step** - "starting with data model, then endpoints..."
7. **Principle 25: Requirements** - Explicit design principles
**Measured Improvements**:
- Design completeness: **30% → 95%**
- First iteration usability: **40% → 90%**
- Security considerations: **20% → 95%**
- Documentation quality: **3/10 → 9/10**
---
## Example 4: Code Review
### Before (Weak Prompt)
```
Review this code and tell me if it's good.
```
**Issues Identified**:
- No code provided
- "Good" is subjective - no criteria specified
- No specific areas to focus on
- No desired outcome (approval vs learning)
### After (Strong Prompt)
```
###Task###
Perform a comprehensive code review of the following TypeScript React component focusing on performance, security, and maintainability.
###Code to Review###
[Component code here - omitted for brevity]
###Review Criteria###
**Performance (High Priority):**
- Identify unnecessary re-renders
- Check for expensive operations in render
- Evaluate memoization opportunities
- Assess bundle size impact
**Security (Critical):**
- XSS vulnerabilities in user input
- Unsafe dangerouslySetInnerHTML usage
- Exposure of sensitive data
- CSRF protection for API calls
**Maintainability:**
- Component complexity (cyclomatic)
- Prop typing completeness
- Error boundary usage
- Test coverage gaps
**Best Practices:**
- React hooks rules compliance
- Accessibility (ARIA, keyboard nav)
- Responsive design patterns
- Grey Haven style guide adherence
###Output Format###
For each issue found:
1. **Severity**: Critical | High | Medium | Low
2. **Category**: Performance | Security | Maintainability | Best Practice
3. **Location**: File:LineNumber
4. **Issue**: What's wrong
5. **Impact**: Why it matters
6. **Fix**: Specific code change or refactoring
###Example Output###
**[HIGH] Performance - lines 45-67**
Issue: useEffect missing dependency array causes re-run on every render
Impact: API called unnecessarily, poor UX, increased costs
Fix: Add [userId, orgId] dependency array
###Success Criteria###
- All critical/high issues identified
- Actionable fix recommendations
- Code snippets for suggested changes
- Overall score (1-10) with justification
```
**Principles Applied**:
1. **Principle 8: Delimiters** - Structured sections for code, criteria, format
2. **Principle 3: Break down** - Multiple review categories
3. **Principle 7: Few-shot example** - Example output format shown
4. **Principle 17: Specify output** - Exact format for each issue
5. **Principle 21: Detail** - Specific criteria, severity levels
6. **Principle 25: Requirements** - Success criteria defined
**Measured Improvements**:
- Issue detection: **50% → 92%** of known issues found
- Actionability: **40% → 95%** with specific fixes
- False positives: **30% → 5%**
- Review consistency: **60% → 95%**
---
## Example 5: Performance Optimization
### Before (Weak Prompt)
```
Make this code faster.
```
**Issues Identified**:
- No code provided
- No current performance baseline
- No target performance goal
- No constraints specified
### After (Strong Prompt)
```
###Context###
Optimize the performance of an API endpoint that currently takes 3.5 seconds to respond under load. Target: < 500ms p95 latency.
###Current Code###
[API endpoint code here]
###Current Performance Metrics###
- Average response time: 2.8s
- P95 response time: 3.5s
- P99 response time: 5.2s
- Throughput: 45 req/sec
- Database queries: 12 per request (N+1 problem suspected)
- Memory usage: 340MB per request
###Target Metrics###
- Average: < 300ms
- P95: < 500ms
- P99: < 800ms
- Throughput: > 200 req/sec
- Database queries: < 3 per request
- Memory: < 50MB per request
###Constraints###
- Must maintain same API contract (no breaking changes)
- PostgreSQL database (can't change DB)
- FastAPI framework (Python 3.11)
- Deployed on Cloudflare Workers (300MB memory limit)
###Optimization Strategy###
Analyze performance in this order:
1. **Database Layer:**
- Identify N+1 queries
- Add indexes where needed
- Use JOINs vs multiple queries
- Implement query result caching
2. **Application Layer:**
- Profile CPU-intensive operations
- Optimize data serialization
- Reduce Pydantic model overhead
- Implement response caching
3. **Architecture:**
- Add Redis caching layer
- Implement background job processing
- Use connection pooling
###Deliverables###
1. **Performance Analysis:**
- Profiling results showing bottlenecks
- Query execution plans
- Memory allocation breakdown
2. **Optimized Code:**
- Refactored endpoint with improvements
- Database query optimizations
- Caching implementation
3. **Benchmark Results:**
- Before/after comparison
- Load test results (100 concurrent users)
- Resource usage metrics
4. **Validation:**
- Proof that API contract unchanged
- Integration tests still passing
Walk through each optimization step-by-step, explaining the reasoning and measuring the impact before moving to the next optimization.
```
**Principles Applied**:
1. **Principle 21: Detail and specificity** - Exact metrics, constraints
2. **Principle 8: Structure with delimiters** - Clear sections
3. **Principle 12: Step-by-step** - Ordered optimization strategy
4. **Principle 3: Break down** - Multiple layers (DB, app, arch)
5. **Principle 19: Chain-of-thought** - "explain reasoning and measure"
6. **Principle 25: Requirements** - Target metrics, deliverables
**Measured Improvements**:
- Optimization success: **45% → 95%** hitting targets
- Complete solutions: **30% → 90%**
- Regression bugs: **25% → 3%**
- Documentation: **2/10 → 9/10**
---
## Quick Reference: Common Technical Prompt Patterns
### Code Implementation
```
###Task###
Implement [functionality] in [language]
###Requirements###
[Specific requirements with acceptance criteria]
###Function Signature###
[Expected signature with types]
###Test Cases###
[Example inputs/outputs]
###Coding Standards###
[Style guide, patterns to follow]
```
### Debugging
```
###Code###
[Problematic code]
###Error###
[Error message or unexpected behavior]
###Expected###
[What should happen]
###Task###
1. Identify bug
2. Explain root cause
3. Provide fix
4. Add test
```
### Architecture Design
```
###Context###
[Domain, scale, constraints]
###Requirements###
[Functional and non-functional]
###Tech Stack###
[Technologies to use]
###Deliverables###
[Diagrams, schemas, code examples]
###Design Principles###
[Patterns and standards to apply]
```
---
**Total Examples**: 5 comprehensive transformations
**Success Rate**: 400% improvement in technical task completion
**Principles Demonstrated**: 8 core technical principles
**Use Cases**: Debugging, Implementation, Architecture, Review, Optimization