Prompt Engineering Expert
---
name: prompt-engineering-expert
description: This skill equips Claude with deep expertise in prompt engineering, custom instructions design, and prompt optimization. It provides comprehensive guidance on crafting effective AI prompts, designing agent instructions, and iteratively improving prompt performance.
---
## Core Expertise Areas
### 1. Prompt Writing Best Practices
- **Clarity and Directness**: Writing clear, unambiguous prompts that leave no room for misinterpretation
- **Structure and Formatting**: Organizing prompts with proper hierarchy, sections, and visual clarity
- **Specificity**: Providing precise instructions with concrete examples and expected outputs
- **Context Management**: Balancing necessary context without overwhelming the model
- **Tone and Style**: Matching prompt tone to the task requirements
### 2. Advanced Prompt Engineering Techniques
- **Chain-of-Thought (CoT) Prompting**: Encouraging step-by-step reasoning for complex tasks
- **Few-Shot Prompting**: Using examples to guide model behavior (1-shot, 2-shot, multi-shot)
- **XML Tags**: Leveraging structured XML formatting for clarity and parsing
- **Role-Based Prompting**: Assigning specific personas or expertise to Claude
- **Prefilling**: Starting Claude's response to guide output format
- **Prompt Chaining**: Breaking complex tasks into sequential prompts
### 3. Custom Instructions & System Prompts
- **System Prompt Design**: Creating effective system prompts for specialized domains
- **Custom Instructions**: Designing instructions for AI agents and skills
- **Behavioral Guidelines**: Setting appropriate constraints and guidelines
- **Personality and Voice**: Defining consistent tone and communication style
- **Scope Definition**: Clearly defining what the agent should and shouldn't do
### 4. Prompt Optimization & Refinement
- **Performance Analysis**: Evaluating prompt effectiveness and identifying issues
- **Iterative Improvement**: Systematically refining prompts based on results
- **A/B Testing**: Comparing different prompt variations
- **Consistency Enhancement**: Improving reliability and reducing variability
- **Token Optimization**: Reducing unnecessary tokens while maintaining quality
### 5. Anti-Patterns & Common Mistakes
- **Vagueness**: Identifying and fixing unclear instructions
- **Contradictions**: Detecting conflicting requirements
- **Over-Specification**: Recognizing when prompts are too restrictive
- **Hallucination Risks**: Identifying prompts prone to false information
- **Context Leakage**: Preventing unintended information exposure
- **Jailbreak Vulnerabilities**: Recognizing and mitigating prompt injection risks
### 6. Evaluation & Testing
- **Success Criteria Definition**: Establishing clear metrics for prompt success
- **Test Case Development**: Creating comprehensive test cases
- **Failure Analysis**: Understanding why prompts fail
- **Regression Testing**: Ensuring improvements don't break existing functionality
- **Edge Case Handling**: Testing boundary conditions and unusual inputs
### 7. Multimodal & Advanced Prompting
- **Vision Prompting**: Crafting prompts for image analysis and understanding
- **File-Based Prompting**: Working with documents, PDFs, and structured data
- **Embeddings Integration**: Using embeddings for semantic search and retrieval
- **Tool Use Prompting**: Designing prompts that effectively use tools and APIs
- **Extended Thinking**: Leveraging extended thinking for complex reasoning
## Key Capabilities
- **Prompt Analysis**: Reviewing existing prompts and identifying improvement opportunities
- **Prompt Generation**: Creating new prompts from scratch for specific use cases
- **Prompt Refinement**: Iteratively improving prompts based on performance
- **Custom Instruction Design**: Creating specialized instructions for agents and skills
- **Best Practice Guidance**: Providing expert advice on prompt engineering principles
- **Anti-Pattern Recognition**: Identifying and correcting common mistakes
- **Testing Strategy**: Developing evaluation frameworks for prompt validation
- **Documentation**: Creating clear documentation for prompt usage and maintenance
## Use Cases
- Refining vague or ineffective prompts
- Creating specialized system prompts for specific domains
- Designing custom instructions for AI agents and skills
- Optimizing prompts for consistency and reliability
- Teaching prompt engineering best practices
- Debugging prompt performance issues
- Creating prompt templates for reusable workflows
- Improving prompt efficiency and token usage
- Developing evaluation frameworks for prompt testing
## Skill Limitations
- Does not execute code or run actual prompts (analysis only)
- Cannot access real-time data or external APIs
- Provides guidance based on best practices, not guaranteed results
- Recommendations should be tested with actual use cases
- Does not replace human judgment in critical applications
## Integration Notes
This skill works well with:
- Claude Code for testing and iterating on prompts
- Agent SDK for implementing custom instructions
- Files API for analyzing prompt documentation
- Vision capabilities for multimodal prompt design
- Extended thinking for complex prompt reasoning
FILE:START_HERE.md
# 🎯 Prompt Engineering Expert Skill - Complete Package
## ✅ What Has Been Created
A **comprehensive Claude Skill** for prompt engineering expertise with:
### 📦 Complete Package Contents
- **7 Core Documentation Files**
- **3 Specialized Guides** (Best Practices, Techniques, Troubleshooting)
- **10 Real-World Examples** with before/after comparisons
- **Multiple Navigation Guides** for easy access
- **Checklists and Templates** for practical use
### 📍 Location
```
~/Documents/prompt-engineering-expert/
```
---
## 📋 File Inventory
### Core Skill Files (4 files)
| File | Purpose | Size |
|------|---------|------|
| **SKILL.md** | Skill metadata & overview | ~1 KB |
| **CLAUDE.md** | Main skill instructions | ~3 KB |
| **README.md** | User guide & getting started | ~4 KB |
| **GETTING_STARTED.md** | How to upload & use | ~3 KB |
### Documentation (3 files)
| File | Purpose | Coverage |
|------|---------|----------|
| **docs/BEST_PRACTICES.md** | Comprehensive best practices | Core principles, advanced techniques, evaluation, anti-patterns |
| **docs/TECHNIQUES.md** | Advanced techniques guide | 8 major techniques with examples |
| **docs/TROUBLESHOOTING.md** | Problem solving | 8 common issues + debugging workflow |
### Examples & Navigation (3 files)
| File | Purpose | Content |
|------|---------|---------|
| **examples/EXAMPLES.md** | Real-world examples | 10 practical examples with templates |
| **INDEX.md** | Complete navigation | Quick links, learning paths, integration points |
| **SUMMARY.md** | What was created | Overview of all components |
---
## 🎓 Expertise Covered
### 7 Core Expertise Areas
1. ✅ **Prompt Writing Best Practices** - Clarity, structure, specificity
2. ✅ **Advanced Techniques** - CoT, few-shot, XML, role-based, prefilling, chaining
3. ✅ **Custom Instructions** - System prompts, behavioral guidelines, scope
4. ✅ **Optimization** - Performance analysis, iterative improvement, token efficiency
5. ✅ **Anti-Patterns** - Vagueness, contradictions, hallucinations, jailbreaks
6. ✅ **Evaluation** - Success criteria, test cases, failure analysis
7. ✅ **Multimodal** - Vision, files, embeddings, extended thinking
### 8 Key Capabilities
1. ✅ Prompt Analysis
2. ✅ Prompt Generation
3. ✅ Prompt Refinement
4. ✅ Custom Instruction Design
5. ✅ Best Practice Guidance
6. ✅ Anti-Pattern Recognition
7. ✅ Testing Strategy
8. ✅ Documentation
---
## 🚀 How to Use
### Step 1: Upload the Skill
```
Go to Claude.com → Click "+" → Upload Skill → Select folder
```
### Step 2: Ask Claude
```
"Review this prompt and suggest improvements:
[YOUR PROMPT]"
```
### Step 3: Get Expert Guidance
Claude will analyze using the skill's expertise and provide recommendations.
---
## 📚 Documentation Breakdown
### BEST_PRACTICES.md (~8 KB)
- Core principles (clarity, conciseness, degrees of freedom)
- Advanced techniques (8 techniques with explanations)
- Custom instructions design
- Skill structure best practices
- Evaluation & testing frameworks
- Anti-patterns to avoid
- Workflows and feedback loops
- Content guidelines
- Multimodal prompting
- Development workflow
- Complete checklist
### TECHNIQUES.md (~10 KB)
- Chain-of-Thought prompting (with examples)
- Few-Shot learning (1-shot, 2-shot, multi-shot)
- Structured output with XML tags
- Role-based prompting
- Prefilling responses
- Prompt chaining
- Context management
- Multimodal prompting
- Combining techniques
- Anti-patterns
### TROUBLESHOOTING.md (~6 KB)
- 8 common issues with solutions
- Debugging workflow
- Quick reference table
- Testing checklist
### EXAMPLES.md (~8 KB)
- 10 real-world examples
- Before/after comparisons
- Templates and frameworks
- Optimization checklists
---
## 💡 Key Features
### ✨ Comprehensive
- Covers all major aspects of prompt engineering
- From basics to advanced techniques
- Real-world examples and templates
### 🎯 Practical
- Actionable guidance
- Step-by-step instructions
- Ready-to-use templates
### 📖 Well-Organized
- Clear structure with progressive disclosure
- Multiple navigation guides
- Quick reference tables
### 🔍 Detailed
- 8 common issues with solutions
- 10 real-world examples
- Multiple checklists
### 🚀 Ready to Use
- Can be uploaded immediately
- No additional setup needed
- Works with Claude.com and API
---
## 📊 Statistics
| Metric | Value |
|--------|-------|
| Total Files | 10 |
| Total Documentation | ~40 KB |
| Core Expertise Areas | 7 |
| Key Capabilities | 8 |
| Use Cases | 9 |
| Common Issues Covered | 8 |
| Real-World Examples | 10 |
| Advanced Techniques | 8 |
| Best Practices | 50+ |
| Anti-Patterns | 10+ |
---
## 🎯 Use Cases
### 1. Refining Vague Prompts
Transform unclear prompts into specific, actionable ones.
### 2. Creating Specialized Prompts
Design prompts for specific domains or tasks.
### 3. Designing Agent Instructions
Create custom instructions for AI agents and skills.
### 4. Optimizing for Consistency
Improve reliability and reduce variability.
### 5. Teaching Best Practices
Learn prompt engineering principles and techniques.
### 6. Debugging Prompt Issues
Identify and fix problems with existing prompts.
### 7. Building Evaluation Frameworks
Develop test cases and success criteria.
### 8. Multimodal Prompting
Design prompts for vision, embeddings, and files.
### 9. Creating Prompt Templates
Build reusable prompt templates for workflows.
---
## ✅ Quality Checklist
- ✅ Based on official Anthropic documentation
- ✅ Comprehensive coverage of prompt engineering
- ✅ Real-world examples and templates
- ✅ Clear, well-organized structure
- ✅ Progressive disclosure for learning
- ✅ Multiple navigation guides
- ✅ Practical, actionable guidance
- ✅ Troubleshooting and debugging help
- ✅ Best practices and anti-patterns
- ✅ Ready to upload and use
---
## 🔗 Integration Points
Works seamlessly with:
- **Claude.com** - Upload and use directly
- **Claude Code** - For testing prompts
- **Agent SDK** - For programmatic use
- **Files API** - For analyzing documentation
- **Vision** - For multimodal design
- **Extended Thinking** - For complex reasoning
---
## 📖 Learning Paths
### Beginner (1-2 hours)
1. Read: README.md
2. Read: BEST_PRACTICES.md (Core Principles)
3. Review: EXAMPLES.md (Examples 1-3)
4. Try: Create a simple prompt
### Intermediate (2-4 hours)
1. Read: TECHNIQUES.md (Sections 1-4)
2. Review: EXAMPLES.md (Examples 4-7)
3. Read: TROUBLESHOOTING.md
4. Try: Refine an existing prompt
### Advanced (4+ hours)
1. Read: TECHNIQUES.md (All sections)
2. Review: EXAMPLES.md (All examples)
3. Read: BEST_PRACTICES.md (All sections)
4. Try: Combine multiple techniques
---
## 🎁 What You Get
### Immediate Benefits
- Expert prompt engineering guidance
- Real-world examples and templates
- Troubleshooting help
- Best practices reference
- Anti-pattern recognition
### Long-Term Benefits
- Improved prompt quality
- Faster iteration cycles
- Better consistency
- Reduced token usage
- More effective AI interactions
---
## 🚀 Next Steps
1. **Navigate to the folder**
```
~/Documents/prompt-engineering-expert/
```
2. **Upload the skill** to Claude.com
- Click "+" → Upload Skill → Select folder
3. **Start using it**
- Ask Claude to review your prompts
- Request custom instructions
- Get troubleshooting help
4. **Explore the documentation**
- Start with README.md
- Review examples
- Learn advanced techniques
5. **Share with your team**
- Collaborate on prompt engineering
- Build better prompts together
- Improve AI interactions
---
## 📞 Support Resources
### Within the Skill
- Comprehensive documentation
- Real-world examples
- Troubleshooting guides
- Best practice checklists
- Quick reference tables
### External Resources
- Claude Docs: https://docs.claude.com
- Anthropic Blog: https://www.anthropic.com/blog
- Claude Cookbooks: https://github.com/anthropics/claude-cookbooks
---
## 🎉 You're All Set!
Your **Prompt Engineering Expert Skill** is complete and ready to use!
### Quick Start
1. Open `~/Documents/prompt-engineering-expert/`
2. Read `GETTING_STARTED.md` for upload instructions
3. Upload to Claude.com
4. Start improving your prompts!
FILE:README.md
# README - Prompt Engineering Expert Skill
## Overview
The **Prompt Engineering Expert** skill equips Claude with deep expertise in prompt engineering, custom instructions design, and prompt optimization. This comprehensive skill provides guidance on crafting effective AI prompts, designing agent instructions, and iteratively improving prompt performance.
## What This Skill Provides
### Core Expertise
- **Prompt Writing Best Practices**: Clear, direct prompts with proper structure
- **Advanced Techniques**: Chain-of-thought, few-shot prompting, XML tags, role-based prompting
- **Custom Instructions**: System prompts and agent instructions design
- **Optimization**: Analyzing and refining existing prompts
- **Evaluation**: Testing frameworks and success criteria
- **Anti-Patterns**: Identifying and correcting common mistakes
- **Multimodal**: Vision, embeddings, and file-based prompting
### Key Capabilities
1. **Prompt Analysis**
- Review existing prompts
- Identify improvement opportunities
- Spot anti-patterns and issues
- Suggest specific refinements
2. **Prompt Generation**
- Create new prompts from scratch
- Design for specific use cases
- Ensure clarity and effectiveness
- Optimize for consistency
3. **Custom Instructions**
- Design system prompts
- Create agent instructions
- Define behavioral guidelines
- Set appropriate constraints
4. **Best Practice Guidance**
- Explain prompt engineering principles
- Teach advanced techniques
- Share real-world examples
- Provide implementation guidance
5. **Testing & Validation**
- Develop test cases
- Define success criteria
- Evaluate prompt performance
- Identify edge cases
## How to Use This Skill
### For Prompt Analysis
```
"Review this prompt and suggest improvements:
[YOUR PROMPT]
Focus on: clarity, specificity, format, and consistency."
```
### For Prompt Generation
```
"Create a prompt that:
- [Requirement 1]
- [Requirement 2]
- [Requirement 3]
The prompt should handle [use cases]."
```
### For Custom Instructions
```
"Design custom instructions for an agent that:
- [Role/expertise]
- [Key responsibilities]
- [Behavioral guidelines]"
```
### For Troubleshooting
```
"This prompt isn't working well:
[PROMPT]
Issues: [DESCRIBE ISSUES]
How can I fix it?"
```
## Skill Structure
```
prompt-engineering-expert/
├── SKILL.md # Skill metadata
├── CLAUDE.md # Main instructions
├── README.md # This file
├── docs/
│ ├── BEST_PRACTICES.md # Best practices guide
│ ├── TECHNIQUES.md # Advanced techniques
│ └── TROUBLESHOOTING.md # Common issues & fixes
└── examples/
└── EXAMPLES.md # Real-world examples
```
## Key Concepts
### Clarity
- Explicit objectives
- Precise language
- Concrete examples
- Logical structure
### Conciseness
- Focused content
- No redundancy
- Progressive disclosure
- Token efficiency
### Consistency
- Defined constraints
- Specified format
- Clear guidelines
- Repeatable results
### Completeness
- Sufficient context
- Edge case handling
- Success criteria
- Error handling
## Common Use Cases
### 1. Refining Vague Prompts
Transform unclear prompts into specific, actionable ones.
### 2. Creating Specialized Prompts
Design prompts for specific domains or tasks.
### 3. Designing Agent Instructions
Create custom instructions for AI agents and skills.
### 4. Optimizing for Consistency
Improve reliability and reduce variability.
### 5. Debugging Prompt Issues
Identify and fix problems with existing prompts.
### 6. Teaching Best Practices
Learn prompt engineering principles and techniques.
### 7. Building Evaluation Frameworks
Develop test cases and success criteria.
### 8. Multimodal Prompting
Design prompts for vision, embeddings, and files.
## Best Practices Summary
### Do's ✅
- Be clear and specific
- Provide examples
- Specify format
- Define constraints
- Test thoroughly
- Document assumptions
- Use progressive disclosure
- Handle edge cases
### Don'ts ❌
- Be vague or ambiguous
- Assume understanding
- Skip format specification
- Ignore edge cases
- Over-specify constraints
- Use jargon without explanation
- Hardcode values
- Ignore error handling
## Advanced Topics
### Chain-of-Thought Prompting
Encourage step-by-step reasoning for complex tasks.
### Few-Shot Learning
Use examples to guide behavior without explicit instructions.
### Structured Output
Use XML tags for clarity and parsing.
### Role-Based Prompting
Assign expertise to guide behavior.
### Prompt Chaining
Break complex tasks into sequential prompts.
### Context Management
Optimize token usage and clarity.
### Multimodal Integration
Work with images, files, and embeddings.
## Limitations
- **Analysis Only**: Doesn't execute code or run actual prompts
- **No Real-Time Data**: Can't access external APIs or current data
- **Best Practices Based**: Recommendations based on established patterns
- **Testing Required**: Suggestions should be validated with actual use cases
- **Human Judgment**: Doesn't replace human expertise in critical applications
## Integration with Other Skills
This skill works well with:
- **Claude Code**: For testing and iterating on prompts
- **Agent SDK**: For implementing custom instructions
- **Files API**: For analyzing prompt documentation
- **Vision**: For multimodal prompt design
- **Extended Thinking**: For complex prompt reasoning
## Getting Started
### Quick Start
1. Share your prompt or describe your need
2. Receive analysis and recommendations
3. Implement suggested improvements
4. Test and validate
5. Iterate as needed
### For Beginners
- Start with "BEST_PRACTICES.md"
- Review "EXAMPLES.md" for real-world cases
- Try simple prompts first
- Gradually increase complexity
### For Advanced Users
- Explore "TECHNIQUES.md" for advanced methods
- Review "TROUBLESHOOTING.md" for edge cases
- Combine multiple techniques
- Build custom frameworks
## Documentation
### Main Documents
- **BEST_PRACTICES.md**: Comprehensive best practices guide
- **TECHNIQUES.md**: Advanced prompt engineering techniques
- **TROUBLESHOOTING.md**: Common issues and solutions
- **EXAMPLES.md**: Real-world examples and templates
### Quick References
- Naming conventions
- File structure
- YAML frontmatter
- Token budgets
- Checklists
## Support & Resources
### Within This Skill
- Detailed documentation
- Real-world examples
- Troubleshooting guides
- Best practice checklists
- Quick reference tables
### External Resources
- Claude Documentation: https://docs.claude.com
- Anthropic Blog: https://www.anthropic.com/blog
- Claude Cookbooks: https://github.com/anthropics/claude-cookbooks
- Prompt Engineering Guide: https://www.promptingguide.ai
## Version History
### v1.0 (Current)
- Initial release
- Core expertise areas
- Best practices documentation
- Advanced techniques guide
- Troubleshooting guide
- Real-world examples
## Contributing
This skill is designed to evolve. Feedback and suggestions for improvement are welcome.
## License
This skill is provided as part of the Claude ecosystem.
---
## Quick Links
- [Best Practices Guide](docs/BEST_PRACTICES.md)
- [Advanced Techniques](docs/TECHNIQUES.md)
- [Troubleshooting Guide](docs/TROUBLESHOOTING.md)
- [Examples & Templates](examples/EXAMPLES.md)
---
**Ready to improve your prompts?** Start by sharing your current prompt or describing what you need help with!
FILE:SUMMARY.md
# Prompt Engineering Expert Skill - Summary
## What Was Created
A comprehensive Claude Skill for **prompt engineering expertise** with deep knowledge of:
- Prompt writing best practices
- Custom instructions design
- Prompt optimization and refinement
- Advanced techniques (CoT, few-shot, XML tags, etc.)
- Evaluation frameworks and testing
- Anti-pattern recognition
- Multimodal prompting
## Skill Structure
```
~/Documents/prompt-engineering-expert/
├── SKILL.md # Skill metadata & overview
├── CLAUDE.md # Main skill instructions
├── README.md # User guide & getting started
├── docs/
│ ├── BEST_PRACTICES.md # Comprehensive best practices (from official docs)
│ ├── TECHNIQUES.md # Advanced techniques guide
│ └── TROUBLESHOOTING.md # Common issues & solutions
└── examples/
└── EXAMPLES.md # 10 real-world examples & templates
```
## Key Files
### 1. **SKILL.md** (Overview)
- High-level description
- Key capabilities
- Use cases
- Limitations
### 2. **CLAUDE.md** (Main Instructions)
- Core expertise areas (7 major areas)
- Key capabilities (8 capabilities)
- Use cases (9 use cases)
- Skill limitations
- Integration notes
### 3. **README.md** (User Guide)
- Overview and what's provided
- How to use the skill
- Skill structure
- Key concepts
- Common use cases
- Best practices summary
- Getting started guide
### 4. **docs/BEST_PRACTICES.md** (Best Practices)
- Core principles (clarity, conciseness, degrees of freedom)
- Advanced techniques (CoT, few-shot, XML, role-based, prefilling, chaining)
- Custom instructions design
- Skill structure best practices
- Evaluation & testing
- Anti-patterns to avoid
- Workflows and feedback loops
- Content guidelines
- Multimodal prompting
- Development workflow
- Comprehensive checklist
### 5. **docs/TECHNIQUES.md** (Advanced Techniques)
- Chain-of-Thought prompting (with examples)
- Few-Shot learning (1-shot, 2-shot, multi-shot)
- Structured output with XML tags
- Role-based prompting
- Prefilling responses
- Prompt chaining
- Context management
- Multimodal prompting
- Combining techniques
- Anti-patterns
### 6. **docs/TROUBLESHOOTING.md** (Troubleshooting)
- 8 common issues with solutions:
1. Inconsistent outputs
2. Hallucinations
3. Vague responses
4. Wrong length
5. Wrong format
6. Refuses to respond
7. Prompt too long
8. Doesn't generalize
- Debugging workflow
- Quick reference table
- Testing checklist
### 7. **examples/EXAMPLES.md** (Real-World Examples)
- 10 practical examples:
1. Refining vague prompts
2. Custom instructions for agents
3. Few-shot classification
4. Chain-of-thought analysis
5. XML-structured prompts
6. Iterative refinement
7. Anti-pattern recognition
8. Testing framework
9. Skill metadata template
10. Optimization checklist
## Core Expertise Areas
1. **Prompt Writing Best Practices**
- Clarity and directness
- Structure and formatting
- Specificity
- Context management
- Tone and style
2. **Advanced Prompt Engineering Techniques**
- Chain-of-Thought (CoT) prompting
- Few-Shot prompting
- XML tags
- Role-based prompting
- Prefilling
- Prompt chaining
3. **Custom Instructions & System Prompts**
- System prompt design
- Custom instructions
- Behavioral guidelines
- Personality and voice
- Scope definition
4. **Prompt Optimization & Refinement**
- Performance analysis
- Iterative improvement
- A/B testing
- Consistency enhancement
- Token optimization
5. **Anti-Patterns & Common Mistakes**
- Vagueness
- Contradictions
- Over-specification
- Hallucination risks
- Context leakage
- Jailbreak vulnerabilities
6. **Evaluation & Testing**
- Success criteria definition
- Test case development
- Failure analysis
- Regression testing
- Edge case handling
7. **Multimodal & Advanced Prompting**
- Vision prompting
- File-based prompting
- Embeddings integration
- Tool use prompting
- Extended thinking
## Key Capabilities
1. **Prompt Analysis** - Review and improve existing prompts
2. **Prompt Generation** - Create new prompts from scratch
3. **Prompt Refinement** - Iteratively improve prompts
4. **Custom Instruction Design** - Create specialized instructions
5. **Best Practice Guidance** - Teach prompt engineering principles
6. **Anti-Pattern Recognition** - Identify and correct mistakes
7. **Testing Strategy** - Develop evaluation frameworks
8. **Documentation** - Create clear usage documentation
## How to Use This Skill
### For Prompt Analysis
```
"Review this prompt and suggest improvements:
[YOUR PROMPT]"
```
### For Prompt Generation
```
"Create a prompt that:
- [Requirement 1]
- [Requirement 2]
- [Requirement 3]"
```
### For Custom Instructions
```
"Design custom instructions for an agent that:
- [Role/expertise]
- [Key responsibilities]"
```
### For Troubleshooting
```
"This prompt isn't working:
[PROMPT]
Issues: [DESCRIBE ISSUES]
How can I fix it?"
```
## Best Practices Included
### Do's ✅
- Be clear and specific
- Provide examples
- Specify format
- Define constraints
- Test thoroughly
- Document assumptions
- Use progressive disclosure
- Handle edge cases
### Don'ts ❌
- Be vague or ambiguous
- Assume understanding
- Skip format specification
- Ignore edge cases
- Over-specify constraints
- Use jargon without explanation
- Hardcode values
- Ignore error handling
## Documentation Quality
- **Comprehensive**: Covers all major aspects of prompt engineering
- **Practical**: Includes real-world examples and templates
- **Well-Organized**: Clear structure with progressive disclosure
- **Actionable**: Specific guidance with step-by-step instructions
- **Tested**: Based on official Anthropic documentation
- **Reusable**: Templates and checklists for common tasks
## Integration Points
Works well with:
- Claude Code (for testing prompts)
- Agent SDK (for implementing instructions)
- Files API (for analyzing documentation)
- Vision capabilities (for multimodal design)
- Extended thinking (for complex reasoning)
## Next Steps
1. **Upload the skill** to Claude using the Skills API or Claude Code
2. **Test with sample prompts** to verify functionality
3. **Iterate based on feedback** to refine and improve
4. **Share with team** for collaborative prompt engineering
5. **Extend as needed** with domain-specific examples
FILE:INDEX.md
# Prompt Engineering Expert Skill - Complete Index
## 📋 Quick Navigation
### Getting Started
- **[README.md](README.md)** - Start here! Overview, how to use, and quick start guide
- **[SUMMARY.md](SUMMARY.md)** - What was created and how to use it
### Core Skill Files
- **[SKILL.md](SKILL.md)** - Skill metadata and capabilities overview
- **[CLAUDE.md](CLAUDE.md)** - Main skill instructions and expertise areas
### Documentation
- **[docs/BEST_PRACTICES.md](docs/BEST_PRACTICES.md)** - Comprehensive best practices guide
- **[docs/TECHNIQUES.md](docs/TECHNIQUES.md)** - Advanced prompt engineering techniques
- **[docs/TROUBLESHOOTING.md](docs/TROUBLESHOOTING.md)** - Common issues and solutions
### Examples & Templates
- **[examples/EXAMPLES.md](examples/EXAMPLES.md)** - 10 real-world examples and templates
---
## 📚 What's Included
### Expertise Areas (7 Major Areas)
1. Prompt Writing Best Practices
2. Advanced Prompt Engineering Techniques
3. Custom Instructions & System Prompts
4. Prompt Optimization & Refinement
5. Anti-Patterns & Common Mistakes
6. Evaluation & Testing
7. Multimodal & Advanced Prompting
### Key Capabilities (8 Capabilities)
1. Prompt Analysis
2. Prompt Generation
3. Prompt Refinement
4. Custom Instruction Design
5. Best Practice Guidance
6. Anti-Pattern Recognition
7. Testing Strategy
8. Documentation
### Use Cases (9 Use Cases)
1. Refining vague or ineffective prompts
2. Creating specialized system prompts
3. Designing custom instructions for agents
4. Optimizing for consistency and reliability
5. Teaching prompt engineering best practices
6. Debugging prompt performance issues
7. Creating prompt templates for workflows
8. Improving efficiency and token usage
9. Developing evaluation frameworks
---
## 🎯 How to Use This Skill
### For Prompt Analysis
```
"Review this prompt and suggest improvements:
[YOUR PROMPT]
Focus on: clarity, specificity, format, and consistency."
```
### For Prompt Generation
```
"Create a prompt that:
- [Requirement 1]
- [Requirement 2]
- [Requirement 3]
The prompt should handle [use cases]."
```
### For Custom Instructions
```
"Design custom instructions for an agent that:
- [Role/expertise]
- [Key responsibilities]
- [Behavioral guidelines]"
```
### For Troubleshooting
```
"This prompt isn't working well:
[PROMPT]
Issues: [DESCRIBE ISSUES]
How can I fix it?"
```
---
## 📖 Documentation Structure
### BEST_PRACTICES.md (Comprehensive Guide)
- Core principles (clarity, conciseness, degrees of freedom)
- Advanced techniques (CoT, few-shot, XML, role-based, prefilling, chaining)
- Custom instructions design
- Skill structure best practices
- Evaluation & testing frameworks
- Anti-patterns to avoid
- Workflows and feedback loops
- Content guidelines
- Multimodal prompting
- Development workflow
- Complete checklist
### TECHNIQUES.md (Advanced Methods)
- Chain-of-Thought prompting with examples
- Few-Shot learning (1-shot, 2-shot, multi-shot)
- Structured output with XML tags
- Role-based prompting
- Prefilling responses
- Prompt chaining
- Context management
- Multimodal prompting
- Combining techniques
- Anti-patterns
### TROUBLESHOOTING.md (Problem Solving)
- 8 common issues with solutions
- Debugging workflow
- Quick reference table
- Testing checklist
### EXAMPLES.md (Real-World Cases)
- 10 practical examples
- Before/after comparisons
- Templates and frameworks
- Optimization checklists
---
## ✅ Best Practices Summary
### Do's ✅
- Be clear and specific
- Provide examples
- Specify format
- Define constraints
- Test thoroughly
- Document assumptions
- Use progressive disclosure
- Handle edge cases
### Don'ts ❌
- Be vague or ambiguous
- Assume understanding
- Skip format specification
- Ignore edge cases
- Over-specify constraints
- Use jargon without explanation
- Hardcode values
- Ignore error handling
---
## 🚀 Getting Started
### Step 1: Read the Overview
Start with **README.md** to understand what this skill provides.
### Step 2: Learn Best Practices
Review **docs/BEST_PRACTICES.md** for foundational knowledge.
### Step 3: Explore Examples
Check **examples/EXAMPLES.md** for real-world use cases.
### Step 4: Try It Out
Share your prompt or describe your need to get started.
### Step 5: Troubleshoot
Use **docs/TROUBLESHOOTING.md** if you encounter issues.
---
## 🔧 Advanced Topics
### Chain-of-Thought Prompting
Encourage step-by-step reasoning for complex tasks.
→ See: TECHNIQUES.md, Section 1
### Few-Shot Learning
Use examples to guide behavior without explicit instructions.
→ See: TECHNIQUES.md, Section 2
### Structured Output
Use XML tags for clarity and parsing.
→ See: TECHNIQUES.md, Section 3
### Role-Based Prompting
Assign expertise to guide behavior.
→ See: TECHNIQUES.md, Section 4
### Prompt Chaining
Break complex tasks into sequential prompts.
→ See: TECHNIQUES.md, Section 6
### Context Management
Optimize token usage and clarity.
→ See: TECHNIQUES.md, Section 7
### Multimodal Integration
Work with images, files, and embeddings.
→ See: TECHNIQUES.md, Section 8
---
## 📊 File Structure
```
prompt-engineering-expert/
├── INDEX.md # This file
├── SUMMARY.md # What was created
├── README.md # User guide & getting started
├── SKILL.md # Skill metadata
├── CLAUDE.md # Main instructions
├── docs/
│ ├── BEST_PRACTICES.md # Best practices guide
│ ├── TECHNIQUES.md # Advanced techniques
│ └── TROUBLESHOOTING.md # Common issues & solutions
└── examples/
└── EXAMPLES.md # Real-world examples
```
---
## 🎓 Learning Path
### Beginner
1. Read: README.md
2. Read: BEST_PRACTICES.md (Core Principles section)
3. Review: EXAMPLES.md (Examples 1-3)
4. Try: Create a simple prompt
### Intermediate
1. Read: TECHNIQUES.md (Sections 1-4)
2. Review: EXAMPLES.md (Examples 4-7)
3. Read: TROUBLESHOOTING.md
4. Try: Refine an existing prompt
### Advanced
1. Read: TECHNIQUES.md (Sections 5-8)
2. Review: EXAMPLES.md (Examples 8-10)
3. Read: BEST_PRACTICES.md (Advanced sections)
4. Try: Combine multiple techniques
---
## 🔗 Integration Points
This skill works well with:
- **Claude Code** - For testing and iterating on prompts
- **Agent SDK** - For implementing custom instructions
- **Files API** - For analyzing prompt documentation
- **Vision** - For multimodal prompt design
- **Extended Thinking** - For complex prompt reasoning
---
## 📝 Key Concepts
### Clarity
- Explicit objectives
- Precise language
- Concrete examples
- Logical structure
### Conciseness
- Focused content
- No redundancy
- Progressive disclosure
- Token efficiency
### Consistency
- Defined constraints
- Specified format
- Clear guidelines
- Repeatable results
### Completeness
- Sufficient context
- Edge case handling
- Success criteria
- Error handling
---
## ⚠️ Limitations
- **Analysis Only**: Doesn't execute code or run actual prompts
- **No Real-Time Data**: Can't access external APIs or current data
- **Best Practices Based**: Recommendations based on established patterns
- **Testing Required**: Suggestions should be validated with actual use cases
- **Human Judgment**: Doesn't replace human expertise in critical applications
---
## 🎯 Common Use Cases
### 1. Refining Vague Prompts
Transform unclear prompts into specific, actionable ones.
→ See: EXAMPLES.md, Example 1
### 2. Creating Specialized Prompts
Design prompts for specific domains or tasks.
→ See: EXAMPLES.md, Example 2
### 3. Designing Agent Instructions
Create custom instructions for AI agents and skills.
→ See: EXAMPLES.md, Example 2
### 4. Optimizing for Consistency
Improve reliability and reduce variability.
→ See: BEST_PRACTICES.md, Skill Structure section
### 5. Debugging Prompt Issues
Identify and fix problems with existing prompts.
→ See: TROUBLESHOOTING.md
### 6. Teaching Best Practices
Learn prompt engineering principles and techniques.
→ See: BEST_PRACTICES.md, TECHNIQUES.md
### 7. Building Evaluation Frameworks
Develop test cases and success criteria.
→ See: BEST_PRACTICES.md, Evaluation & Testing section
### 8. Multimodal Prompting
Design prompts for vision, embeddings, and files.
→ See: TECHNIQUES.md, Section 8
---
## 📞 Support & Resources
### Within This Skill
- Detailed documentation
- Real-world examples
- Troubleshooting guides
- Best practice checklists
- Quick reference tables
### External Resources
- Claude Documentation: https://docs.claude.com
- Anthropic Blog: https://www.anthropic.com/blog
- Claude Cookbooks: https://github.com/anthropics/claude-cookbooks
- Prompt Engineering Guide: https://www.promptingguide.ai
---
## 🚀 Next Steps
1. **Explore the documentation** - Start with README.md
2. **Review examples** - Check examples/EXAMPLES.md
3. **Try it out** - Share your prompt or describe your need
4. **Iterate** - Use feedback to improve
5. **Share** - Help others with their prompts
FILE:BEST_PRACTICES.md
# Prompt Engineering Expert - Best Practices Guide
This document synthesizes best practices from Anthropic's official documentation and the Claude Cookbooks to create a comprehensive prompt engineering skill.
## Core Principles for Prompt Engineering
### 1. Clarity and Directness
- **Be explicit**: State exactly what you want Claude to do
- **Avoid ambiguity**: Use precise language that leaves no room for misinterpretation
- **Use concrete examples**: Show, don't just tell
- **Structure logically**: Organize information hierarchically
### 2. Conciseness
- **Respect context windows**: Keep prompts focused and relevant
- **Remove redundancy**: Eliminate unnecessary repetition
- **Progressive disclosure**: Provide details only when needed
- **Token efficiency**: Optimize for both quality and cost
### 3. Appropriate Degrees of Freedom
- **Define constraints**: Set clear boundaries for what Claude should/shouldn't do
- **Specify format**: Be explicit about desired output format
- **Set scope**: Clearly define what's in and out of scope
- **Balance flexibility**: Allow room for Claude's reasoning while maintaining control
## Advanced Prompt Engineering Techniques
### Chain-of-Thought (CoT) Prompting
Encourage step-by-step reasoning for complex tasks:
```
"Let's think through this step by step:
1. First, identify...
2. Then, analyze...
3. Finally, conclude..."
```
### Few-Shot Prompting
Use examples to guide behavior:
- **1-shot**: Single example for simple tasks
- **2-shot**: Two examples for moderate complexity
- **Multi-shot**: Multiple examples for complex patterns
### XML Tags for Structure
Use XML tags for clarity and parsing:
```xml
<task>
<objective>What you want done</objective>
<constraints>Limitations and rules</constraints>
<format>Expected output format</format>
</task>
```
### Role-Based Prompting
Assign expertise to Claude:
```
"You are an expert prompt engineer with deep knowledge of...
Your task is to..."
```
### Prefilling
Start Claude's response to guide format:
```
"Here's my analysis:
Key findings:"
```
### Prompt Chaining
Break complex tasks into sequential prompts:
1. Prompt 1: Analyze input
2. Prompt 2: Process analysis
3. Prompt 3: Generate output
## Custom Instructions & System Prompts
### System Prompt Design
- **Define role**: What expertise should Claude embody?
- **Set tone**: What communication style is appropriate?
- **Establish constraints**: What should Claude avoid?
- **Clarify scope**: What's the domain of expertise?
### Behavioral Guidelines
- **Do's**: Specific behaviors to encourage
- **Don'ts**: Specific behaviors to avoid
- **Edge cases**: How to handle unusual situations
- **Escalation**: When to ask for clarification
## Skill Structure Best Practices
### Naming Conventions
- Use **gerund form** (verb + -ing): "analyzing-financial-statements"
- Use **lowercase with hyphens**: "prompt-engineering-expert"
- Be **descriptive**: Name should indicate capability
- Avoid **generic names**: Be specific about domain
### Writing Effective Descriptions
- **First line**: Clear, concise summary (max 1024 chars)
- **Specificity**: Indicate exact capabilities
- **Use cases**: Mention primary applications
- **Avoid vagueness**: Don't use "helps with" or "assists in"
### Progressive Disclosure Patterns
**Pattern 1: High-level guide with references**
- Start with overview
- Link to detailed sections
- Organize by complexity
**Pattern 2: Domain-specific organization**
- Group by use case
- Separate concerns
- Clear navigation
**Pattern 3: Conditional details**
- Show details based on context
- Provide examples for each path
- Avoid overwhelming options
### File Structure
```
skill-name/
├── SKILL.md (required metadata)
├── CLAUDE.md (main instructions)
├── reference-guide.md (detailed info)
├── examples.md (use cases)
└── troubleshooting.md (common issues)
```
## Evaluation & Testing
### Success Criteria Definition
- **Measurable**: Define what "success" looks like
- **Specific**: Avoid vague metrics
- **Testable**: Can be verified objectively
- **Realistic**: Achievable with the prompt
### Test Case Development
- **Happy path**: Normal, expected usage
- **Edge cases**: Boundary conditions
- **Error cases**: Invalid inputs
- **Stress tests**: Complex scenarios
### Failure Analysis
- **Why did it fail?**: Root cause analysis
- **Pattern recognition**: Identify systematic issues
- **Refinement**: Adjust prompt accordingly
## Anti-Patterns to Avoid
### Common Mistakes
- **Vagueness**: "Help me with this task" (too vague)
- **Contradictions**: Conflicting requirements
- **Over-specification**: Too many constraints
- **Hallucination risks**: Prompts that encourage false information
- **Context leakage**: Unintended information exposure
- **Jailbreak vulnerabilities**: Prompts susceptible to manipulation
### Windows-Style Paths
- ❌ Use: `C:\Users\Documents\file.txt`
- ✅ Use: `/Users/Documents/file.txt` or `~/Documents/file.txt`
### Too Many Options
- Avoid offering 10+ choices
- Limit to 3-5 clear alternatives
- Use progressive disclosure for complex options
## Workflows and Feedback Loops
### Use Workflows for Complex Tasks
- Break into logical steps
- Define inputs/outputs for each step
- Implement feedback mechanisms
- Allow for iteration
### Implement Feedback Loops
- Request clarification when needed
- Validate intermediate results
- Adjust based on feedback
- Confirm understanding
## Content Guidelines
### Avoid Time-Sensitive Information
- Don't hardcode dates
- Use relative references ("current year")
- Provide update mechanisms
- Document when information was current
### Use Consistent Terminology
- Define key terms once
- Use consistently throughout
- Avoid synonyms for same concept
- Create glossary for complex domains
## Multimodal & Advanced Prompting
### Vision Prompting
- Describe what Claude should analyze
- Specify output format
- Provide context about images
- Ask for specific details
### File-Based Prompting
- Specify file types accepted
- Describe expected structure
- Provide parsing instructions
- Handle errors gracefully
### Extended Thinking
- Use for complex reasoning
- Allow more processing time
- Request detailed explanations
- Leverage for novel problems
## Skill Development Workflow
### Build Evaluations First
1. Define success criteria
2. Create test cases
3. Establish baseline
4. Measure improvements
### Develop Iteratively with Claude
1. Start with simple version
2. Test and gather feedback
3. Refine based on results
4. Repeat until satisfied
### Observe How Claude Navigates Skills
- Watch how Claude discovers content
- Note which sections are used
- Identify confusing areas
- Optimize based on usage patterns
## YAML Frontmatter Requirements
```yaml
---
name: skill-name
description: Clear, concise description (max 1024 chars)
---
```
## Token Budget Considerations
- **Skill metadata**: ~100-200 tokens
- **Main instructions**: ~500-1000 tokens
- **Reference files**: ~1000-5000 tokens each
- **Examples**: ~500-1000 tokens each
- **Total budget**: Varies by use case
## Checklist for Effective Skills
### Core Quality
- [ ] Clear, specific name (gerund form)
- [ ] Concise description (1-2 sentences)
- [ ] Well-organized structure
- [ ] Progressive disclosure implemented
- [ ] Consistent terminology
- [ ] No time-sensitive information
### Content
- [ ] Clear use cases defined
- [ ] Examples provided
- [ ] Edge cases documented
- [ ] Limitations stated
- [ ] Troubleshooting guide included
### Testing
- [ ] Test cases created
- [ ] Success criteria defined
- [ ] Edge cases tested
- [ ] Error handling verified
- [ ] Multiple models tested
### Documentation
- [ ] README or overview
- [ ] Usage examples
- [ ] API/integration notes
- [ ] Troubleshooting section
- [ ] Update mechanism documented
FILE:TECHNIQUES.md
# Advanced Prompt Engineering Techniques
## Table of Contents
1. Chain-of-Thought Prompting
2. Few-Shot Learning
3. Structured Output with XML
4. Role-Based Prompting
5. Prefilling Responses
6. Prompt Chaining
7. Context Management
8. Multimodal Prompting
## 1. Chain-of-Thought (CoT) Prompting
### What It Is
Encouraging Claude to break down complex reasoning into explicit steps before providing a final answer.
### When to Use
- Complex reasoning tasks
- Multi-step problems
- Tasks requiring justification
- When consistency matters
### Basic Structure
```
Let's think through this step by step:
Step 1: [First logical step]
Step 2: [Second logical step]
Step 3: [Third logical step]
Therefore: [Conclusion]
```
### Example
```
Problem: A store sells apples for $2 each and oranges for $3 each.
If I buy 5 apples and 3 oranges, how much do I spend?
Let's think through this step by step:
Step 1: Calculate apple cost
- 5 apples × $2 per apple = $10
Step 2: Calculate orange cost
- 3 oranges × $3 per orange = $9
Step 3: Calculate total
- $10 + $9 = $19
Therefore: You spend $19 total.
```
### Benefits
- More accurate reasoning
- Easier to identify errors
- Better for complex problems
- More transparent logic
## 2. Few-Shot Learning
### What It Is
Providing examples to guide Claude's behavior without explicit instructions.
### Types
#### 1-Shot (Single Example)
Best for: Simple, straightforward tasks
```
Example: "Happy" → Positive
Now classify: "Terrible" →
```
#### 2-Shot (Two Examples)
Best for: Moderate complexity
```
Example 1: "Great product!" → Positive
Example 2: "Doesn't work well" → Negative
Now classify: "It's okay" →
```
#### Multi-Shot (Multiple Examples)
Best for: Complex patterns, edge cases
```
Example 1: "Love it!" → Positive
Example 2: "Hate it" → Negative
Example 3: "It's fine" → Neutral
Example 4: "Could be better" → Neutral
Example 5: "Amazing!" → Positive
Now classify: "Not bad" →
```
### Best Practices
- Use diverse examples
- Include edge cases
- Show correct format
- Order by complexity
- Use realistic examples
## 3. Structured Output with XML Tags
### What It Is
Using XML tags to structure prompts and guide output format.
### Benefits
- Clear structure
- Easy parsing
- Reduced ambiguity
- Better organization
### Common Patterns
#### Task Definition
```xml
<task>
<objective>What to accomplish</objective>
<constraints>Limitations and rules</constraints>
<format>Expected output format</format>
</task>
```
#### Analysis Structure
```xml
<analysis>
<problem>Define the problem</problem>
<context>Relevant background</context>
<solution>Proposed solution</solution>
<justification>Why this solution</justification>
</analysis>
```
#### Conditional Logic
```xml
<instructions>
<if condition="input_type == 'question'">
<then>Provide detailed answer</then>
</if>
<if condition="input_type == 'request'">
<then>Fulfill the request</then>
</if>
</instructions>
```
## 4. Role-Based Prompting
### What It Is
Assigning Claude a specific role or expertise to guide behavior.
### Structure
```
You are a [ROLE] with expertise in [DOMAIN].
Your responsibilities:
- [Responsibility 1]
- [Responsibility 2]
- [Responsibility 3]
When responding:
- [Guideline 1]
- [Guideline 2]
- [Guideline 3]
Your task: [Specific task]
```
### Examples
#### Expert Consultant
```
You are a senior management consultant with 20 years of experience
in business strategy and organizational transformation.
Your task: Analyze this company's challenges and recommend solutions.
```
#### Technical Architect
```
You are a cloud infrastructure architect specializing in scalable systems.
Your task: Design a system architecture for [requirements].
```
#### Creative Director
```
You are a creative director with expertise in brand storytelling and
visual communication.
Your task: Develop a brand narrative for [product/company].
```
## 5. Prefilling Responses
### What It Is
Starting Claude's response to guide format and tone.
### Benefits
- Ensures correct format
- Sets tone and style
- Guides reasoning
- Improves consistency
### Examples
#### Structured Analysis
```
Prompt: Analyze this market opportunity.
Claude's response should start:
"Here's my analysis of this market opportunity:
Market Size: [Analysis]
Growth Potential: [Analysis]
Competitive Landscape: [Analysis]"
```
#### Step-by-Step Reasoning
```
Prompt: Solve this problem.
Claude's response should start:
"Let me work through this systematically:
1. First, I'll identify the key variables...
2. Then, I'll analyze the relationships...
3. Finally, I'll derive the solution..."
```
#### Formatted Output
```
Prompt: Create a project plan.
Claude's response should start:
"Here's the project plan:
Phase 1: Planning
- Task 1.1: [Description]
- Task 1.2: [Description]
Phase 2: Execution
- Task 2.1: [Description]"
```
## 6. Prompt Chaining
### What It Is
Breaking complex tasks into sequential prompts, using outputs as inputs.
### Structure
```
Prompt 1: Analyze/Extract
↓
Output 1: Structured data
↓
Prompt 2: Process/Transform
↓
Output 2: Processed data
↓
Prompt 3: Generate/Synthesize
↓
Final Output: Result
```
### Example: Document Analysis Pipeline
**Prompt 1: Extract Information**
```
Extract key information from this document:
- Main topic
- Key points (bullet list)
- Important dates
- Relevant entities
Format as JSON.
```
**Prompt 2: Analyze Extracted Data**
```
Analyze this extracted information:
[JSON from Prompt 1]
Identify:
- Relationships between entities
- Temporal patterns
- Significance of each point
```
**Prompt 3: Generate Summary**
```
Based on this analysis:
[Analysis from Prompt 2]
Create an executive summary that:
- Explains the main findings
- Highlights key insights
- Recommends next steps
```
## 7. Context Management
### What It Is
Strategically managing information to optimize token usage and clarity.
### Techniques
#### Progressive Disclosure
```
Start with: High-level overview
Then provide: Relevant details
Finally include: Edge cases and exceptions
```
#### Hierarchical Organization
```
Level 1: Core concept
├── Level 2: Key components
│ ├── Level 3: Specific details
│ └── Level 3: Implementation notes
└── Level 2: Related concepts
```
#### Conditional Information
```
If [condition], include [information]
Else, skip [information]
This reduces unnecessary context.
```
### Best Practices
- Include only necessary context
- Organize hierarchically
- Use references for detailed info
- Summarize before details
- Link related concepts
## 8. Multimodal Prompting
### Vision Prompting
#### Structure
```
Analyze this image:
[IMAGE]
Specifically, identify:
1. [What to look for]
2. [What to analyze]
3. [What to extract]
Format your response as:
[Desired format]
```
#### Example
```
Analyze this chart:
[CHART IMAGE]
Identify:
1. Main trends
2. Anomalies or outliers
3. Predictions for next period
Format as a structured report.
```
### File-Based Prompting
#### Structure
```
Analyze this document:
[FILE]
Extract:
- [Information type 1]
- [Information type 2]
- [Information type 3]
Format as:
[Desired format]
```
#### Example
```
Analyze this PDF financial report:
[PDF FILE]
Extract:
- Revenue by quarter
- Expense categories
- Profit margins
Format as a comparison table.
```
### Embeddings Integration
#### Structure
```
Using these embeddings:
[EMBEDDINGS DATA]
Find:
- Most similar items
- Clusters or groups
- Outliers
Explain the relationships.
```
## Combining Techniques
### Example: Complex Analysis Prompt
```xml
<prompt>
<role>
You are a senior data analyst with expertise in business intelligence.
</role>
<task>
Analyze this sales data and provide insights.
</task>
<instructions>
Let's think through this step by step:
Step 1: Data Overview
- What does the data show?
- What time period does it cover?
- What are the key metrics?
Step 2: Trend Analysis
- What patterns emerge?
- Are there seasonal trends?
- What's the growth trajectory?
Step 3: Comparative Analysis
- How does this compare to benchmarks?
- Which segments perform best?
- Where are the opportunities?
Step 4: Recommendations
- What actions should we take?
- What are the priorities?
- What's the expected impact?
</instructions>
<format>
<executive_summary>2-3 sentences</executive_summary>
<key_findings>Bullet points</key_findings>
<detailed_analysis>Structured sections</detailed_analysis>
<recommendations>Prioritized list</recommendations>
</format>
</prompt>
```
## Anti-Patterns to Avoid
### ❌ Vague Chaining
```
"Analyze this, then summarize it, then give me insights."
```
### ✅ Clear Chaining
```
"Step 1: Extract key metrics from the data
Step 2: Compare to industry benchmarks
Step 3: Identify top 3 opportunities
Step 4: Recommend prioritized actions"
```
### ❌ Unclear Role
```
"Act like an expert and help me."
```
### ✅ Clear Role
```
"You are a senior product manager with 10 years of experience
in SaaS companies. Your task is to..."
```
### ❌ Ambiguous Format
```
"Give me the results in a nice format."
```
### ✅ Clear Format
```
"Format as a table with columns: Metric, Current, Target, Gap"
```
FILE:TROUBLESHOOTING.md
# Troubleshooting Guide
## Common Prompt Issues and Solutions
### Issue 1: Inconsistent Outputs
**Symptoms:**
- Same prompt produces different results
- Outputs vary in format or quality
- Unpredictable behavior
**Root Causes:**
- Ambiguous instructions
- Missing constraints
- Insufficient examples
- Unclear success criteria
**Solutions:**
```
1. Add specific format requirements
2. Include multiple examples
3. Define constraints explicitly
4. Specify output structure with XML tags
5. Use role-based prompting for consistency
```
**Example Fix:**
```
❌ Before: "Summarize this article"
✅ After: "Summarize this article in exactly 3 bullet points,
each 1-2 sentences. Focus on key findings and implications."
```
---
### Issue 2: Hallucinations or False Information
**Symptoms:**
- Claude invents facts
- Confident but incorrect statements
- Made-up citations or data
**Root Causes:**
- Prompts that encourage speculation
- Lack of grounding in facts
- Insufficient context
- Ambiguous questions
**Solutions:**
```
1. Ask Claude to cite sources
2. Request confidence levels
3. Ask for caveats and limitations
4. Provide factual context
5. Ask "What don't you know?"
```
**Example Fix:**
```
❌ Before: "What will happen to the market next year?"
✅ After: "Based on current market data, what are 3 possible
scenarios for next year? For each, explain your reasoning and
note your confidence level (high/medium/low)."
```
---
### Issue 3: Vague or Unhelpful Responses
**Symptoms:**
- Generic answers
- Lacks specificity
- Doesn't address the real question
- Too high-level
**Root Causes:**
- Vague prompt
- Missing context
- Unclear objective
- No format specification
**Solutions:**
```
1. Be more specific in the prompt
2. Provide relevant context
3. Specify desired output format
4. Give examples of good responses
5. Define success criteria
```
**Example Fix:**
```
❌ Before: "How can I improve my business?"
✅ After: "I run a SaaS company with $2M ARR. We're losing
customers to competitors. What are 3 specific strategies to
improve retention? For each, explain implementation steps and
expected impact."
```
---
### Issue 4: Too Long or Too Short Responses
**Symptoms:**
- Response is too verbose
- Response is too brief
- Doesn't match expectations
- Wastes tokens
**Root Causes:**
- No length specification
- Unclear scope
- Missing format guidance
- Ambiguous detail level
**Solutions:**
```
1. Specify word/sentence count
2. Define scope clearly
3. Use format templates
4. Provide examples
5. Request specific detail level
```
**Example Fix:**
```
❌ Before: "Explain machine learning"
✅ After: "Explain machine learning in 2-3 paragraphs for
someone with no technical background. Focus on practical
applications, not theory."
```
---
### Issue 5: Wrong Output Format
**Symptoms:**
- Output format doesn't match needs
- Can't parse the response
- Incompatible with downstream tools
- Requires manual reformatting
**Root Causes:**
- No format specification
- Ambiguous format request
- Format not clearly demonstrated
- Missing examples
**Solutions:**
```
1. Specify exact format (JSON, CSV, table, etc.)
2. Provide format examples
3. Use XML tags for structure
4. Request specific fields
5. Show before/after examples
```
**Example Fix:**
```
❌ Before: "List the top 5 products"
✅ After: "List the top 5 products in JSON format:
{
\"products\": [
{\"name\": \"...\", \"revenue\": \"...\", \"growth\": \"...\"}
]
}"
```
---
### Issue 6: Claude Refuses to Respond
**Symptoms:**
- "I can't help with that"
- Declines to answer
- Suggests alternatives
- Seems overly cautious
**Root Causes:**
- Prompt seems harmful
- Ambiguous intent
- Sensitive topic
- Unclear legitimate use case
**Solutions:**
```
1. Clarify legitimate purpose
2. Reframe the question
3. Provide context
4. Explain why you need this
5. Ask for general guidance instead
```
**Example Fix:**
```
❌ Before: "How do I manipulate people?"
✅ After: "I'm writing a novel with a manipulative character.
How would a psychologist describe manipulation tactics?
What are the psychological mechanisms involved?"
```
---
### Issue 7: Prompt is Too Long
**Symptoms:**
- Exceeds context window
- Slow responses
- High token usage
- Expensive to run
**Root Causes:**
- Unnecessary context
- Redundant information
- Too many examples
- Verbose instructions
**Solutions:**
```
1. Remove unnecessary context
2. Consolidate similar points
3. Use references instead of full text
4. Reduce number of examples
5. Use progressive disclosure
```
**Example Fix:**
```
❌ Before: [5000 word prompt with full documentation]
✅ After: [500 word prompt with links to detailed docs]
"See REFERENCE.md for detailed specifications"
```
---
### Issue 8: Prompt Doesn't Generalize
**Symptoms:**
- Works for one case, fails for others
- Brittle to input variations
- Breaks with different data
- Not reusable
**Root Causes:**
- Too specific to one example
- Hardcoded values
- Assumes specific format
- Lacks flexibility
**Solutions:**
```
1. Use variables instead of hardcoded values
2. Handle multiple input formats
3. Add error handling
4. Test with diverse inputs
5. Build in flexibility
```
**Example Fix:**
```
❌ Before: "Analyze this Q3 sales data..."
✅ After: "Analyze this [PERIOD] [METRIC] data.
Handle various formats: CSV, JSON, or table.
If format is unclear, ask for clarification."
```
---
## Debugging Workflow
### Step 1: Identify the Problem
- What's not working?
- How does it fail?
- What's the impact?
### Step 2: Analyze the Prompt
- Is the objective clear?
- Are instructions specific?
- Is context sufficient?
- Is format specified?
### Step 3: Test Hypotheses
- Try adding more context
- Try being more specific
- Try providing examples
- Try changing format
### Step 4: Implement Fix
- Update the prompt
- Test with multiple inputs
- Verify consistency
- Document the change
### Step 5: Validate
- Does it work now?
- Does it generalize?
- Is it efficient?
- Is it maintainable?
---
## Quick Reference: Common Fixes
| Problem | Quick Fix |
|---------|-----------|
| Inconsistent | Add format specification + examples |
| Hallucinations | Ask for sources + confidence levels |
| Vague | Add specific details + examples |
| Too long | Specify word count + format |
| Wrong format | Show exact format example |
| Refuses | Clarify legitimate purpose |
| Too long prompt | Remove unnecessary context |
| Doesn't generalize | Use variables + handle variations |
---
## Testing Checklist
Before deploying a prompt, verify:
- [ ] Objective is crystal clear
- [ ] Instructions are specific
- [ ] Format is specified
- [ ] Examples are provided
- [ ] Edge cases are handled
- [ ] Works with multiple inputs
- [ ] Output is consistent
- [ ] Tokens are optimized
- [ ] Error handling is clear
- [ ] Documentation is complete
FILE:EXAMPLES.md
# Prompt Engineering Expert - Examples
## Example 1: Refining a Vague Prompt
### Before (Ineffective)
```
Help me write a better prompt for analyzing customer feedback.
```
### After (Effective)
```
You are an expert prompt engineer. I need to create a prompt that:
- Analyzes customer feedback for sentiment (positive/negative/neutral)
- Extracts key themes and pain points
- Identifies actionable recommendations
- Outputs structured JSON with: sentiment, themes (array), pain_points (array), recommendations (array)
The prompt should handle feedback of 50-500 words and be consistent across different customer segments.
Please review this prompt and suggest improvements:
[ORIGINAL PROMPT HERE]
```
## Example 2: Custom Instructions for a Data Analysis Agent
```yaml
---
name: data-analysis-agent
description: Specialized agent for financial data analysis and reporting
---
# Data Analysis Agent Instructions
## Role
You are an expert financial data analyst with deep knowledge of:
- Financial statement analysis
- Trend identification and forecasting
- Risk assessment
- Comparative analysis
## Core Behaviors
### Do's
- Always verify data sources before analysis
- Provide confidence levels for predictions
- Highlight assumptions and limitations
- Use clear visualizations and tables
- Explain methodology before results
### Don'ts
- Don't make predictions beyond 12 months without caveats
- Don't ignore outliers without investigation
- Don't present correlation as causation
- Don't use jargon without explanation
- Don't skip uncertainty quantification
## Output Format
Always structure analysis as:
1. Executive Summary (2-3 sentences)
2. Key Findings (bullet points)
3. Detailed Analysis (with supporting data)
4. Limitations and Caveats
5. Recommendations (if applicable)
## Scope
- Financial data analysis only
- Historical and current data (not speculation)
- Quantitative analysis preferred
- Escalate to human analyst for strategic decisions
```
## Example 3: Few-Shot Prompt for Classification
```
You are a customer support ticket classifier. Classify each ticket into one of these categories:
- billing: Payment, invoice, or subscription issues
- technical: Software bugs, crashes, or technical problems
- feature_request: Requests for new functionality
- general: General inquiries or feedback
Examples:
Ticket: "I was charged twice for my subscription this month"
Category: billing
Ticket: "The app crashes when I try to upload files larger than 100MB"
Category: technical
Ticket: "Would love to see dark mode in the mobile app"
Category: feature_request
Now classify this ticket:
Ticket: "How do I reset my password?"
Category:
```
## Example 4: Chain-of-Thought Prompt for Complex Analysis
```
Analyze this business scenario step by step:
Step 1: Identify the core problem
- What is the main issue?
- What are the symptoms?
- What's the root cause?
Step 2: Analyze contributing factors
- What external factors are involved?
- What internal factors are involved?
- How do they interact?
Step 3: Evaluate potential solutions
- What are 3-5 viable solutions?
- What are the pros and cons of each?
- What are the implementation challenges?
Step 4: Recommend and justify
- Which solution is best?
- Why is it superior to alternatives?
- What are the risks and mitigation strategies?
Scenario: [YOUR SCENARIO HERE]
```
## Example 5: XML-Structured Prompt for Consistency
```xml
<prompt>
<metadata>
<version>1.0</version>
<purpose>Generate marketing copy for SaaS products</purpose>
<target_audience>B2B decision makers</target_audience>
</metadata>
<instructions>
<objective>
Create compelling marketing copy that emphasizes ROI and efficiency gains
</objective>
<constraints>
<max_length>150 words</max_length>
<tone>Professional but approachable</tone>
<avoid>Jargon, hyperbole, false claims</avoid>
</constraints>
<format>
<headline>Compelling, benefit-focused (max 10 words)</headline>
<body>2-3 paragraphs highlighting key benefits</body>
<cta>Clear call-to-action</cta>
</format>
<examples>
<example>
<product>Project management tool</product>
<copy>
Headline: "Cut Project Delays by 40%"
Body: "Teams waste 8 hours weekly on status updates. Our tool automates coordination..."
</example>
</example>
</examples>
</instructions>
</prompt>
```
## Example 6: Prompt for Iterative Refinement
```
I'm working on a prompt for [TASK]. Here's my current version:
[CURRENT PROMPT]
I've noticed these issues:
- [ISSUE 1]
- [ISSUE 2]
- [ISSUE 3]
As a prompt engineering expert, please:
1. Identify any additional issues I missed
2. Suggest specific improvements with reasoning
3. Provide a refined version of the prompt
4. Explain what changed and why
5. Suggest test cases to validate the improvements
```
## Example 7: Anti-Pattern Recognition
### ❌ Ineffective Prompt
```
"Analyze this data and tell me what you think about it. Make it good."
```
**Issues:**
- Vague objective ("analyze" and "what you think")
- No format specification
- No success criteria
- Ambiguous quality standard ("make it good")
### ✅ Improved Prompt
```
"Analyze this sales data to identify:
1. Top 3 performing products (by revenue)
2. Seasonal trends (month-over-month changes)
3. Customer segments with highest lifetime value
Format as a structured report with:
- Executive summary (2-3 sentences)
- Key metrics table
- Trend analysis with supporting data
- Actionable recommendations
Focus on insights that could improve Q4 revenue."
```
## Example 8: Testing Framework for Prompts
```
# Prompt Evaluation Framework
## Test Case 1: Happy Path
Input: [Standard, well-formed input]
Expected Output: [Specific, detailed output]
Success Criteria: [Measurable criteria]
## Test Case 2: Edge Case - Ambiguous Input
Input: [Ambiguous or unclear input]
Expected Output: [Request for clarification]
Success Criteria: [Asks clarifying questions]
## Test Case 3: Edge Case - Complex Scenario
Input: [Complex, multi-faceted input]
Expected Output: [Structured, comprehensive analysis]
Success Criteria: [Addresses all aspects]
## Test Case 4: Error Handling
Input: [Invalid or malformed input]
Expected Output: [Clear error message with guidance]
Success Criteria: [Helpful, actionable error message]
## Regression Test
Input: [Previous failing case]
Expected Output: [Now handles correctly]
Success Criteria: [Issue is resolved]
```
## Example 9: Skill Metadata Template
```yaml
---
name: analyzing-financial-statements
description: Expert guidance on analyzing financial statements, identifying trends, and extracting actionable insights for business decision-making
---
# Financial Statement Analysis Skill
## Overview
This skill provides expert guidance on analyzing financial statements...
## Key Capabilities
- Balance sheet analysis
- Income statement interpretation
- Cash flow analysis
- Ratio analysis and benchmarking
- Trend identification
- Risk assessment
## Use Cases
- Evaluating company financial health
- Comparing competitors
- Identifying investment opportunities
- Assessing business performance
- Forecasting financial trends
## Limitations
- Historical data only (not predictive)
- Requires accurate financial data
- Industry context important
- Professional judgment recommended
```
## Example 10: Prompt Optimization Checklist
```
# Prompt Optimization Checklist
## Clarity
- [ ] Objective is crystal clear
- [ ] No ambiguous terms
- [ ] Examples provided
- [ ] Format specified
## Conciseness
- [ ] No unnecessary words
- [ ] Focused on essentials
- [ ] Efficient structure
- [ ] Respects context window
## Completeness
- [ ] All necessary context provided
- [ ] Edge cases addressed
- [ ] Success criteria defined
- [ ] Constraints specified
## Testability
- [ ] Can measure success
- [ ] Has clear pass/fail criteria
- [ ] Repeatable results
- [ ] Handles edge cases
## Robustness
- [ ] Handles variations in input
- [ ] Graceful error handling
- [ ] Consistent output format
- [ ] Resistant to jailbreaks
```
