Prompt

You might say

Build a client quote list: client name, amount, date, and status, stored in the browser, newest first.

A prompt is the message you send the AI—the problem, requirements, and context all live in it, and it steers what the AI builds."Build a client quote list with client, amount, date, and status, stored locally, newest first"—that whole sentence is the prompt. The AI reads it before every move: specific wording lands specific results, while "make a nice tool" forces guessing. When results disappoint, refine the prompt before switching tools—add the object, the requirements, and what counts as done.

Know first

AI Agent

Where your prompt sits inside a request

System prompt · preset, invisible to youYou are a frontend assistant; touch only the files the user names…

Your prompt · what you write each turnBuild a quote list: client, amount, date, status; store locally; newest first.

Output · grows from your promptQuote list: full CRUD, four fields, newest first ✓

Off-target result? Fix the layer you writeAdd the object, requirements, and done-criteria—far faster than switching tools.

Three things that make a prompt concrete

Say what you want—and what you don't: Exclusions like "no charts yet" or "no login" stop the AI from growing the tool on its own.

Give checkable done-criteria: "Works on mobile" and "add, edit, delete all work" give you and the AI the same ruler.

One round, one change: Changing many things at once hides which sentence caused the error. Change one, verify, then continue.

Quick checkChoose the best answer

The AI's result is not what you wanted. What is the first move?

Make the request specific: object, fields, and what counts as doneSwitch to a different AI tool right awayKeep saying "wrong, redo it" until it gets you

You can say this to an AI Agent

Build a client quote list with client name, amount, date, and status, stored in the browser for now. Skip charts and export this round. Done means: add, edit, and delete all work, and it works on mobile too.

Learn next

1System Prompt→2Context Engineering→3AI Agent→