Prompt Engineering 101: Write Better Prompts, Get Better Results
Learn the fundamentals of prompt engineering — from basic techniques to advanced strategies that work across all AI models.
Great AI output starts with great prompts. This guide covers the core techniques that work across Claude, GPT-4, Gemini, and other models.
The Anatomy of a Good Prompt
Every effective prompt has three parts: 1. Context — Tell the AI who it is and what you need 2. Instruction — Be specific about the task 3. Format — Specify how you want the output
Technique 1: Role Assignment
Start by assigning a role:
1You are a senior TypeScript developer with 10 years of experience.2Review this code for potential bugs and performance issues.Technique 2: Few-Shot Examples
Show the AI what you want by providing examples:
1Description: "All users who signed up last week" SQL: SELECT * FROM users WHERE created_at >= NOW() - INTERVAL '7 days'
Description: "Total revenue by product category" SQL: ```
Technique 3: Chain of Thought
Ask the AI to reason step by step:
1Analyze this business problem step by step.2Think through each factor before giving your recommendation.Common Mistakes
- **Too vague**: "Make it better" → Be specific
- **Too long**: Keep prompts focused
- **No format**: Always specify output format
Explore our Prompt Library for 30+ ready-to-use templates.