prompt

/prompt — format informal input into a structured prompt, then execute

Take an informal or dictated request, reformat it into a structured six-section prompt (Role / Task / Context / Constraints / Output format / Bookend) at the appropriate depth, show the formatted prompt to the user, and execute it.

When to use

• The user dictates a long, meandering ask and wants a clean run.
• The request mentions specific domain terminology and would benefit from explicit Constraints + Output-format sections before execution.
• The user has tried an unformatted run and got a generic answer; reformatting before re-running is cheaper than iterating in dialogue.

When NOT to use

• The request is already a clean, specific ask. Skip the formatter; run the request directly.
• The request is for a multi-turn project specification (hypotheses, identification strategy, data needs). Use /interview-me instead.
• The request is for ad-hoc fact-checking. Use /verify-claims.
• The request is a side question that shouldn't enter conversation history. Use the built-in /btw instead.

How it works

Step 1: Read the input

$ARGUMENTS is either the informal text itself or a pointer to a file containing it (.md, .txt, .qmd). If it's a file, read it. Strip a trailing depth:light|standard|deep token if present and record the override.

Step 2: Calibrate depth

Default heuristic (from .claude/references/prompt-formatting-core.md):

• Light — input < 40 words, no domain-specific terminology, or explicit "quick" / "small".
• Standard — input 40–200 words, OR contains 1+ domain-specific terms (econometrics / political science / methods jargon).
• Deep — input > 200 words, OR mentions a specific paper / dataset / submission target, OR says "thorough" / "detailed" / "for submission".

User override (depth:light|standard|deep) is honoured.

Step 3: Emit the formatted prompt

Use the structured-prompt skeleton from .claude/references/prompt-formatting-core.md:

• Light: Role + Task + Output format + Bookend.
• Standard: All six sections + Assumptions/Rationale block (2–4 bullets).
• Deep: All six sections + Assumptions + Investigation pre-step (one sentence describing what Claude should research/read/verify before producing the output).

Always show the formatted prompt to the user before executing. Use a fenced code block. The user sees what you reshaped their ask into and can correct an inferred assumption with one message.

Step 4: Execute the formatted prompt

Immediately after emitting the formatted prompt, execute it — run the request as if the user had typed the formatted version. Use the appropriate tools (Read, Grep, WebFetch, etc.) per the formatted prompt's Constraints.

If the formatted Bookend asked a clarifying question and the answer would change the output, surface that question first and wait for the answer.

Step 5: Return the output

Standard prose, table, or code output per the formatted prompt's Output-format section.

Boundary with /interview-me

/prompt is input shaping (single-shot). /interview-me is project specification (multi-turn Socratic). They don't compete — use /prompt when you want a well-formed ask; use /interview-me when you want a well-formed research project.

Companion: /prompt-only

/prompt-only is the same skill without Step 4 — it emits the formatted prompt as a reusable artifact and stops. Use it when you want a prompt you'll run later (e.g., in a different conversation, against a different model, or as the basis for a recurring task).

Anti-pattern

Do not run /prompt on a request that is already specific. If the user has already typed a six-section prompt manually, reformatting it via /prompt adds friction without value.

Output

• The formatted prompt (visible in the conversation).
• The execution result (the answer to the formatted prompt's Task).
• Optionally: a one-sentence note if an Assumptions item turned out to be wrong during execution, so the user can correct for the next run.