> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.sundaypyjamas.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Writing Good Prompts

> A 'prompt' is just your message to the AI. Here's how to ask so you get great answers.

## What is a "prompt"?

A **prompt** is simply the message you send to the AI. That's it. When people say "write a good prompt," they just mean "ask clearly."

The AI is smart, but it can't read your mind. The more clearly you describe what you want, the better the result. Good news: you already know how to do this — it's the same as giving clear instructions to a helpful person.

## The 4 ingredients of a great prompt

You don't need all four every time, but the more you include, the better:

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="1. The task" icon="bullseye">
    What do you want? *"Write an email", "Summarize this", "Make a plan".*
  </Card>

  <Card title="2. The details" icon="circle-info">
    Who is it for? How long? What tone? *"...to a new customer, friendly, under 100 words."*
  </Card>

  <Card title="3. The example or input" icon="paperclip">
    Give it the material to work with. *Paste the text, notes, or a sample you like.*
  </Card>

  <Card title="4. The format" icon="list">
    How should the result look? *"As 3 bullet points", "As a spreadsheet", "As a PDF I can download."*
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

<Tip>
  Working in **[Agents](/user-guide/first-agent)**? Always name the deliverable: document, spreadsheet, or PDF. See [Create docs, sheets & PDFs](/user-guide/agents/create-files).
</Tip>

## See the difference

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="Weak prompt 👎">
    > *write about our product*

    The AI has to guess everything: which product, who's reading, how long, what tone. You'll get something generic.
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Strong prompt 👍">
    > *Write a short product description (about 50 words) for our reusable water bottle. The reader is a busy parent. Friendly and warm tone. Mention that it keeps drinks cold for 24 hours.*

    Now the AI knows exactly what you want. You'll get something you can almost use as-is.
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

## Simple habits that instantly help

* **Say who it's for.** "for beginners", "for my boss", "for kids".
* **Say how long.** "one sentence", "a short paragraph", "under 100 words".
* **Say the tone.** "friendly", "professional", "playful", "serious".
* **Give an example.** Paste something you like and say "in this style".
* **Ask for a format.** "as bullet points", "as a table", "step by step".

## You can always fix it afterwards

You don't have to get the perfect prompt on the first try. Just reply with a small change:

* *"Make it shorter."*
* *"More formal, please."*
* *"Add a friendly closing line."*
* *"Turn this into bullet points."*

The AI remembers the conversation and adjusts. This back-and-forth is often faster than writing one perfect prompt.

<Tip>
  Stuck? Ask the AI to help you ask: *"What details do you need from me to write a great LinkedIn post?"* It will tell you exactly what to add.
</Tip>

## Next step

<Card title="Create your first report" icon="chart-simple" href="/user-guide/reports">
  Turn your information into a polished written summary.
</Card>