/prompt-only — format input into a structured prompt without executing
Same six-section skeleton as /prompt, but does not execute. Returns the formatted prompt as a reusable artifact.
When to use
- You want a prompt you'll run later — in a different conversation, against a different model, or as the basis for a recurring task.
- You're drafting a prompt template (e.g., for a future skill, a co-author, a teaching exercise).
- The execution itself should happen elsewhere (a long batch, a different tool, an offline workflow).
When NOT to use
- You want the formatted prompt run immediately. Use
/prompt. - You want a research project formalised. Use
/interview-me.
How it works
Step 1: Read the input
$ARGUMENTS is the informal text or a pointer to a file. Strip a trailing depth: token and --save if present.
Step 2: Calibrate depth
Same heuristic as /prompt (see .claude/references/prompt-formatting-core.md):
- Light: < 40 words, no domain jargon, "quick" / "small".
- Standard: 40–200 words, or 1+ domain-specific terms.
- Deep: > 200 words, or specific paper/dataset/submission mentioned, or "thorough" / "for submission".
User override honoured via depth:light|standard|deep.
Step 3: Emit the formatted prompt
Use the six-section skeleton from .claude/references/prompt-formatting-core.md:
- Light → Role + Task + Output format + Bookend.
- Standard → All six + Assumptions block.
- Deep → All six + Assumptions + Investigation pre-step.
Output the formatted prompt in a fenced code block so the user can copy it cleanly.
Step 4 (optional): Save
If --save <path> was supplied, write the formatted prompt to that path. If the path is a directory, default the filename to quality_reports/prompts/YYYY-MM-DD_<slug>.md. The slug is derived from the first ~8 words of the Task section.
Step 5: Return
Standard output:
- The formatted prompt in a code block.
- If saved: a one-line "saved to " confirmation.
No execution. That's the whole point.
Boundary
/prompt-only is for reusable prompt artifacts. It does not produce the output of the prompt — that's /prompt's job (single-run) or your job (when you run the saved prompt elsewhere).
Anti-pattern
Do not use /prompt-only when you want immediate execution. The friction of "format then run separately" is wasteful in interactive contexts. Reach for /prompt instead.
Output
- The formatted prompt (fenced code block).
- Optionally: "saved to " confirmation.
- No execution result.