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Prompt Template Library 📚

Copy-paste ready prompts for common development scenarios

How to use: Find your scenario, copy template, fill in the {{PLACEHOLDERS}}, send to AI.

Table of Contents

  1. Feature Implementation Templates
  2. Debugging Templates
  3. Refactoring Templates
  4. Testing Templates
  5. Documentation Templates
  6. Code Review Templates
  7. Performance Templates
  8. Security Templates

Feature Implementation Templates

Template 1: Simple Feature Addition

Implement {{FEATURE_NAME}} in {{FILE_PATH}}.

Requirements:
- {{REQUIREMENT_1}}
- {{REQUIREMENT_2}}
- {{REQUIREMENT_3}}

Follow the pattern used in {{REFERENCE_FEATURE}} in {{REFERENCE_FILE}}.

Success criteria:
- {{CRITERION_1}}
- {{CRITERION_2}}
- {{CRITERION_3}}

Example filled in:

Implement email validation in src/components/RegisterForm.tsx.

Requirements:
- Validate on blur (not on every keystroke)
- Show error message below input field
- Check format using standard email regex
- Required field (empty = error)

Follow the pattern used for password validation in src/components/RegisterForm.tsx (lines 45-67).

Success criteria:
- Invalid email → red border + error message
- Valid email → green border, no error
- Empty field on blur → error message 'Email is required'

Template 2: API Endpoint Creation

Create {{HTTP_METHOD}} {{ENDPOINT_PATH}} endpoint.

FILE: {{FILE_PATH}}

Request:
{{REQUEST_SCHEMA}}

Response:
Success ({{SUCCESS_STATUS_CODE}}): {{SUCCESS_RESPONSE_SCHEMA}}
Error ({{ERROR_STATUS_CODE}}): {{ERROR_RESPONSE_SCHEMA}}

Business logic:
- {{LOGIC_1}}
- {{LOGIC_2}}

Validation:
- {{VALIDATION_1}}
- {{VALIDATION_2}}

Follow the pattern from {{REFERENCE_ENDPOINT}} in {{REFERENCE_FILE}}.

Include:
- Input validation (express-validator)
- Error handling (try-catch)
- {{ADDITIONAL_MIDDLEWARE}} middleware

Example filled in:

Create POST /api/posts endpoint.

FILE: src/api/posts.ts

Request:
{
  title: string (required, max 200 chars),
  content: string (required, max 5000 chars),
  tags: string[] (optional, max 5 tags)
}

Response:
Success (201): { data: { id, title, content, tags, authorId, createdAt } }
Error (400): { error: { code: 'VALIDATION_ERROR', message: string } }

Business logic:
- Associate post with authenticated user (req.user.id)
- Sanitize HTML in content
- Normalize tags (lowercase, trim)

Validation:
- Title required, max length
- Content required, max length
- Tags array, max 5 items

Follow the pattern from POST /api/users in src/api/users.ts.

Include:
- Input validation (express-validator)
- Error handling (try-catch)
- Authentication middleware (requireAuth)

Template 3: React Component Creation

Create {{COMPONENT_NAME}} component.

FILE: {{FILE_PATH}}

Props:
{{PROPS_INTERFACE}}

Behavior:
- {{BEHAVIOR_1}}
- {{BEHAVIOR_2}}
- {{BEHAVIOR_3}}

Styling:
- {{STYLING_APPROACH}}
- {{SPECIFIC_STYLES}}

State management (if needed):
- {{STATE_DESCRIPTION}}

Follow {{PATTERN_DESCRIPTION}} pattern from {{REFERENCE_COMPONENT}}.

Use existing components:
- {{EXISTING_COMPONENT_1}}
- {{EXISTING_COMPONENT_2}}

Example filled in:

Create UserCard component.

FILE: src/components/UserCard.tsx

Props:
{
  user: {
    id: string,
    name: string,
    email: string,
    avatar?: string,
    role: 'user' | 'admin'
  },
  onClick?: (userId: string) => void,
  showRole?: boolean
}

Behavior:
- Display user avatar (or default if not provided)
- Display name and email
- Optionally display role badge
- Click card → call onClick with userId
- Hover effect (scale slightly)

Styling:
- Tailwind CSS utility classes
- Card: white background, rounded, shadow on hover
- Avatar: circular, 48x48px
- Role badge: small pill, blue for admin, gray for user

Follow card component pattern from PostCard (src/components/PostCard.tsx).

Use existing components:
- Avatar (src/components/common/Avatar.tsx)
- Badge (src/components/common/Badge.tsx)

Debugging Templates

Template 4: Runtime Error Debugging

Fix {{ERROR_TYPE}} in {{FILE_PATH}}.

ERROR MESSAGE:
{{ERROR_MESSAGE}}

STACK TRACE:
{{RELEVANT_STACK_TRACE}}

CONTEXT:
- File: {{FILE}}:{{LINE}}
- Action: {{USER_ACTION}}
- Environment: {{ENVIRONMENT}}
- Started happening: {{WHEN}}
- {{ADDITIONAL_CONTEXT}}

EXPECTED vs ACTUAL:
- Expected: {{EXPECTED_BEHAVIOR}}
- Actual: {{ACTUAL_BEHAVIOR}}

ALREADY TRIED:
- {{ATTEMPT_1}} → {{RESULT_1}}
- {{ATTEMPT_2}} → {{RESULT_2}}

RELEVANT CODE:
{{CODE_SNIPPET}}

{{HYPOTHESIS}} (if you have one)

Example filled in:

Fix null pointer error in login flow.

ERROR MESSAGE:
TypeError: Cannot read property 'id' of undefined

STACK TRACE:
  at handleLogin (src/api/auth.ts:45:31)
  at validateAndLogin (src/api/auth.ts:23:12)

CONTEXT:
- File: src/api/auth.ts:45
- Action: User submitted login form
- Environment: Development
- Started happening: After adding email verification yesterday
- Only affects unverified users

EXPECTED vs ACTUAL:
- Expected: Return 401 for unverified users
- Actual: 500 error crash

ALREADY TRIED:
- Added console.log → user is undefined
- Checked User.findByEmail → returns null for unverified

RELEVANT CODE:
```typescript
async function handleLogin(req, res) {
  const { email, password } = req.body;
  const user = await User.findByEmail(email);
  const isValid = await bcrypt.compare(password, user.password);
  if (!isValid) {
    return res.status(401).json({ error: 'Invalid credentials' });
  }
  const token = jwt.sign({ id: user.id }, SECRET); // LINE 45 ERROR
  return res.json({ token });
}

HYPOTHESIS: User.findByEmail returns null for unverified users, but we're not checking before accessing user.id.


---

### Template 5: Logic Bug Debugging

Fix incorrect {{BEHAVIOR}} in {{FUNCTION/COMPONENT}}.

BUG DESCRIPTION: {{WHAT'S_WRONG}}

EXPECTED BEHAVIOR: {{DETAILED_EXPECTED}}

ACTUAL BEHAVIOR: {{DETAILED_ACTUAL}}

TEST CASE: Input: {{INPUT}} Expected output: {{EXPECTED_OUTPUT}} Actual output: {{ACTUAL_OUTPUT}}

CODE ({{FILE}}): {{CODE_SNIPPET}}

ANALYSIS: {{YOUR_ANALYSIS}} (if you've identified the issue)


---

## Refactoring Templates

### Template 6: Component Refactoring

Refactor {{COMPONENT_NAME}} from {{OLD_APPROACH}} to {{NEW_APPROACH}}.

FILE: {{FILE_PATH}}

CURRENT PROBLEMS:

  • {{PROBLEM_1}}
  • {{PROBLEM_2}}

DESIRED STATE:

  • {{GOAL_1}}
  • {{GOAL_2}}

MUST PRESERVE:

  • {{PRESERVATION_1}} (critical - reason: {{REASON}})
  • {{PRESERVATION_2}}

CHANGES ALLOWED:

  • {{ALLOWED_CHANGE_1}}
  • {{ALLOWED_CHANGE_2}}

CURRENT CODE: {{CODE_SNIPPET}}

SUCCESS CRITERIA:

  • Tests still pass
  • {{SPECIFIC_REQUIREMENT_1}}
  • {{SPECIFIC_REQUIREMENT_2}}

**Example filled in:**

Refactor UserProfile from class component to functional component with hooks.

FILE: src/components/UserProfile.tsx

CURRENT PROBLEMS:

  • Verbose (200 lines)
  • Lifecycle methods scattered
  • Hard to extract reusable logic

DESIRED STATE:

  • Functional component
  • Consolidated useEffect hooks
  • Custom hooks for reusable logic
  • ~100 lines

MUST PRESERVE:

  • All functionality (critical - other components depend on it)
  • Props interface unchanged
  • Subscription cleanup on unmount (critical - prevents memory leaks)

CHANGES ALLOWED:

  • Convert to functional component
  • Use hooks (useState, useEffect)
  • Extract custom hooks

CURRENT CODE: [class component code]

SUCCESS CRITERIA:

  • Tests pass without modification
  • Subscription cleanup verified
  • Code < 100 lines

---

### Template 7: Architecture Refactoring

Refactor {{SYSTEM}} architecture from {{OLD_PATTERN}} to {{NEW_PATTERN}}.

PHASE {{N}} of {{TOTAL}}: {{PHASE_NAME}}

RATIONALE: {{WHY_REFACTORING}}

SCOPE (this phase): Files affected:

  • {{FILE_1}} ({{ACTION}})
  • {{FILE_2}} ({{ACTION}})

Files NOT changing:

  • {{UNCHANGED_FILE_1}}
  • {{UNCHANGED_FILE_2}}

REQUIREMENTS: {{DETAILED_PHASE_REQUIREMENTS}}

BACKWARD COMPATIBILITY: {{HOW_TO_MAINTAIN}}

TESTING:

  • {{TEST_REQUIREMENT_1}}
  • {{TEST_REQUIREMENT_2}}

---

## Testing Templates

### Template 8: Unit Test Generation

Write comprehensive tests for {{FUNCTION/CLASS/COMPONENT}}.

CODE TO TEST ({{FILE}}): {{CODE_SNIPPET}}

TEST FILE: {{TEST_FILE_PATH}} TEST FRAMEWORK: {{FRAMEWORK}}

SCENARIOS TO COVER:

Happy path:

  • {{HAPPY_SCENARIO_1}}
  • {{HAPPY_SCENARIO_2}}

Error cases:

  • {{ERROR_SCENARIO_1}}
  • {{ERROR_SCENARIO_2}}

Edge cases:

  • {{EDGE_SCENARIO_1}}
  • {{EDGE_SCENARIO_2}}

{{ADDITIONAL_CATEGORY}}:

  • {{ADDITIONAL_SCENARIO_1}}

MOCKING:

  • Mock {{DEPENDENCY_1}}
  • Mock {{DEPENDENCY_2}}

TEST STRUCTURE:

describe('{{NAME}}', () => {
  describe('{{FUNCTIONALITY}}', () => {
    it('{{TEST_CASE}}', () => {});
  });
});

Please write complete, runnable tests.


---

### Template 9: Integration Test

Write integration test for {{FEATURE}}.

FEATURE DESCRIPTION: {{DESCRIPTION}}

TEST FILE: {{TEST_FILE_PATH}} TEST FRAMEWORK: {{FRAMEWORK}}

SETUP:

  • {{SETUP_REQUIREMENT_1}}
  • {{SETUP_REQUIREMENT_2}}

TEST FLOW:

  1. {{STEP_1}}
  2. {{STEP_2}}
  3. {{STEP_3}}

ASSERTIONS:

  • {{ASSERTION_1}}
  • {{ASSERTION_2}}

CLEANUP:

  • {{CLEANUP_1}}
  • {{CLEANUP_2}}

---

## Documentation Templates

### Template 10: Function/API Documentation

Generate {{DOC_TYPE}} documentation for {{FUNCTION/API}}.

CODE: {{CODE_SNIPPET}}

DOCUMENTATION FORMAT: {{FORMAT}}

INCLUDE:

  • {{ELEMENT_1}}
  • {{ELEMENT_2}}
  • {{ELEMENT_3}}

EXAMPLES: Provide {{N}} usage examples showing:

  • {{EXAMPLE_SCENARIO_1}}
  • {{EXAMPLE_SCENARIO_2}}

{{ADDITIONAL_REQUIREMENTS}}


**Example filled in:**

Generate JSDoc documentation for calculateDiscount function.

CODE:

function calculateDiscount(subtotal: number, discountCode?: string) {
  if (!discountCode) return 0;
  const discount = DISCOUNTS[discountCode];
  if (!discount) throw new Error('Invalid discount code');
  return subtotal * (discount.percentage / 100);
}

DOCUMENTATION FORMAT: JSDoc

INCLUDE:

  • Function description
  • @param documentation for each parameter
  • @returns documentation
  • @throws documentation (for invalid code)
  • @example with 3 usage examples

EXAMPLES: Provide 3 usage examples showing:

  • No discount code
  • Valid discount code
  • Invalid discount code (error case)

---

### Template 11: README/Guide Creation

Create {{DOC_TYPE}} for {{SYSTEM/FEATURE}}.

FILE: {{FILE_PATH}}

TARGET AUDIENCE: {{AUDIENCE}}

SECTIONS TO INCLUDE:

  1. {{SECTION_1}}
  2. {{SECTION_2}}
  3. {{SECTION_3}}

TONE: {{TONE}} (e.g., technical, beginner-friendly, tutorial-style)

INCLUDE:

  • {{REQUIREMENT_1}}
  • {{REQUIREMENT_2}}

FORMAT: Markdown

{{ADDITIONAL_CONTEXT}}


---

## Code Review Templates

### Template 12: Pull Request Review

Review PR #{{NUMBER}}: {{TITLE}}

FILES CHANGED:

  • {{FILE_1}} ({{CHANGES}})
  • {{FILE_2}} ({{CHANGES}})

REVIEW CRITERIA:

{{CATEGORY_1}} (priority: {{PRIORITY}}):

  • {{CRITERION_1}}
  • {{CRITERION_2}}

{{CATEGORY_2}}:

  • {{CRITERION_3}}
  • {{CRITERION_4}}

CONTEXT: {{FEATURE_DESCRIPTION}}

SPECIFIC CONCERNS:

  1. {{CONCERN_1}}
  2. {{CONCERN_2}}

OUTPUT FORMAT:

  1. Critical Issues (must fix before merge)
  2. {{CATEGORY_1}} Issues
  3. {{CATEGORY_2}} Issues
  4. Test Coverage Gaps
  5. Overall Assessment (approve/request changes)

---

### Template 13: Security Audit

Security audit of {{SYSTEM/FEATURE}}.

SCOPE:

  • {{FILE_1}}
  • {{FILE_2}}

AUDIT FOR:

{{SECURITY_CATEGORY_1}}:

  • {{CHECK_1}}
  • {{CHECK_2}}

{{SECURITY_CATEGORY_2}}:

  • {{CHECK_3}}
  • {{CHECK_4}}

CURRENT IMPLEMENTATION: {{CODE_OR_DESCRIPTION}}

Please provide:

  1. Critical vulnerabilities (must fix immediately)
  2. Medium-priority issues
  3. Best practice improvements
  4. Specific code changes needed

For each issue:

  • What the vulnerability is
  • How it can be exploited
  • How to fix it
  • Code example of fix

---

## Performance Templates

### Template 14: Performance Optimization

Optimize {{SYSTEM/FEATURE}} performance.

PROBLEM: {{CURRENT_PERFORMANCE_ISSUE}}

TARGET: Current: {{CURRENT_METRIC}} Target: {{TARGET_METRIC}}

PERFORMANCE DATA:

  • {{MEASUREMENT_1}}: {{VALUE}}
  • {{MEASUREMENT_2}}: {{VALUE}}

FILES:

  • {{FILE_1}}
  • {{FILE_2}}

CURRENT IMPLEMENTATION: {{CODE_OR_DESCRIPTION}}

CONSTRAINTS:

  • {{CONSTRAINT_1}}
  • {{CONSTRAINT_2}}

OPTIMIZATION IDEAS:

  • {{IDEA_1}}
  • {{IDEA_2}}

What's the best approach? Please implement the most effective solution.


---

### Template 15: Performance Analysis

Analyze performance of {{SYSTEM/FEATURE}}.

CONTEXT: {{DESCRIPTION}}

CURRENT METRICS:

  • {{METRIC_1}}: {{VALUE}}
  • {{METRIC_2}}: {{VALUE}}

FILES TO ANALYZE:

  • {{FILE_1}}
  • {{FILE_2}}

FOCUS ON:

  • {{AREA_1}}
  • {{AREA_2}}

Please identify:

  1. Performance bottlenecks
  2. Improvement opportunities
  3. Estimated impact of each optimization
  4. Recommended implementation order

---

## Security Templates

### Template 16: Security Fix

Fix security vulnerability in {{SYSTEM/FEATURE}}.

VULNERABILITY TYPE: {{TYPE}} SEVERITY: {{SEVERITY}}

ISSUE: {{VULNERABILITY_DESCRIPTION}}

EXPLOIT SCENARIO: {{HOW_IT_CAN_BE_EXPLOITED}}

AFFECTED CODE ({{FILE}}): {{CODE_SNIPPET}}

FIX REQUIREMENTS:

  • {{REQUIREMENT_1}}
  • {{REQUIREMENT_2}}

TESTING:

  • {{TEST_REQUIREMENT_1}}
  • {{TEST_REQUIREMENT_2}}

Please provide:

  1. Fixed code
  2. Explanation of fix
  3. Test cases to verify fix

---

### Template 17: Input Validation

Add comprehensive input validation to {{ENDPOINT/FUNCTION}}.

CURRENT CODE ({{FILE}}): {{CODE_SNIPPET}}

INPUTS TO VALIDATE:

  • {{INPUT_1}}: {{TYPE}} - {{VALIDATION_RULES}}
  • {{INPUT_2}}: {{TYPE}} - {{VALIDATION_RULES}}
  • {{INPUT_3}}: {{TYPE}} - {{VALIDATION_RULES}}

VALIDATION LIBRARY: {{LIBRARY}}

ERROR HANDLING:

  • Invalid input → return {{ERROR_RESPONSE}}
  • Validation error format: {{FORMAT}}

SECURITY CONSIDERATIONS:

  • {{CONSIDERATION_1}}
  • {{CONSIDERATION_2}}

---

## Quick Reference: Template Selection

┌──────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ Choose Your Template │ ├──────────────────────────────────────────┤ │ New feature → Template 1, 2, 3 │ │ Bug fix → Template 4, 5 │ │ Code improvement → Template 6, 7 │ │ Add tests → Template 8, 9 │ │ Write docs → Template 10, 11 │ │ Review code → Template 12, 13 │ │ Speed up code → Template 14, 15 │ │ Security fix → Template 16, 17 │ └──────────────────────────────────────────┘


---

## Usage Tips

### 1. Customize Templates

**Don't use templates blindly:**
- Remove irrelevant sections
- Add project-specific requirements
- Adjust to your code style
- Reference your actual files/patterns

### 2. Save Your Own Templates

**Create project-specific templates:**

/docs/templates/prompts/ ├── feature-api-endpoint.md ├── feature-react-component.md ├── debug-backend.md ├── refactor-component.md └── test-integration.md


Each tailored to your project.

### 3. Template Variables

**Common placeholders:**

{{FILE_PATH}} → src/components/UserCard.tsx {{COMPONENT_NAME}} → UserCard {{HTTP_METHOD}} → POST {{ENDPOINT_PATH}} → /api/users {{REQUIREMENT_N}} → Specific requirement description {{CRITERION_N}} → Success criterion {{ERROR_TYPE}} → NullPointerError, ValidationError, etc. {{REFERENCE_FILE}} → src/components/ExampleComponent.tsx


### 4. Combining Templates

**Mix elements from multiple templates:**

Example: Feature + Testing

[Use Template 3 for component creation] [Then use Template 8 for test generation]


Result: Component + comprehensive tests in two prompts.

---

## Template Maintenance

### Update Templates When:

- ✅ You discover a better prompting pattern
- ✅ Project conventions change
- ✅ New tools/libraries adopted
- ✅ Repeated prompts could be templated
- ✅ Template produces poor results

### Template Quality Checklist:

- [ ] Has clear placeholders ({{VARIABLE_NAME}})
- [ ] Includes all necessary context
- [ ] References project patterns
- [ ] Defines success criteria
- [ ] Specifies constraints
- [ ] Provides example usage

---

## Next Steps

1. **Try a template** → Copy one, fill in placeholders, test it
2. **Measure results** → How many iterations needed? Quality of output?
3. **Refine template** → Improve based on results
4. **Create custom templates** → For your common tasks
5. **Share with team** → Consistent prompting across team

---

**Related Documentation:**
- [Foundations](./foundations.md) → Core prompting principles
- [Task-Specific Patterns](./task-specific-patterns.md) → Detailed examples
- [Advanced Techniques](./advanced-techniques.md) → Expert strategies
- [Troubleshooting Guide](../troubleshooting/README.md) → When prompts fail

**Back to:** [Prompting Guide Home](./README.md)