modelengine-group/prompt-writing

Prompt Writing

Create and optimize YAML-based prompts for AI assistants following industry best practices.

Quick Start

Standard YAML Prompt Structure

system_prompt: |-
  # Section with ### header
  ## Subsection with ## header
  Content with clear structure.
  
  **Bold key concepts**
  
  - Bullet points for requirements
  - Consistent indentation (2 spaces)
  
  1. Numbered lists for sequences
  2. Use when order matters

user_prompt: |
  Direct instructions with {{ variable placeholders }}

Key Principles

1. Structure: Use |- for multi-line system prompts, | for user prompts
2. Templating: Use {{ variable }} for dynamic content
3. Separators: Use --- sparingly, only between major sections
4. Language: Keep prompts in consistent language (English recommended for templates)

Quality Checklist

Before finalizing any prompt, verify:

• [ ] No unclosed braces {{ without }}
• [ ] No excessive separators (---, ***)
• [ ] Consistent heading hierarchy (### → ##)
• [ ] Clear variable placeholders with descriptive names
• [ ] Proper YAML indentation preserved
• [ ] No HTML tags in Markdown content
• [ ] Lists have parallel structure

Common Patterns

System Prompt with Sections

system_prompt: |-
  ### Role Definition
  You are a professional [role name]. Your task is to [core responsibility].
  
  ### Requirements
  1. First requirement
  2. Second requirement
  3. Third requirement
  
  ### Guidelines
  - Do this
  - Don't do that
  - Always do this
  
  ### Output Format
  Respond in plain text without separators.

Jinja2 Template Variables

user_prompt: |
  Please analyze the following {{ document_type }}:
  
  Name: {{ filename }}
  Content: {{ content }}
  
  Summary ({{ max_words }} words):

References

• Best Practices: See best-practices.md for detailed guidelines
• Templates: See templates.md for reusable patterns
• Examples: See examples.md for real-world samples

Related Tools

When working with prompts, also consider:

• YAML validation tools
• Jinja2 syntax checkers
• Markdown linters