meta prompt

Meta Prompt

Make Claude better at understanding you.

When to Use

• Complex task, unclear how to express it
• Want optimal results, not just good
• Creating reusable prompts (skills)
• Teaching Claude new patterns

Meta Prompt Pattern

Ask for the Prompt

"What's the best way to ask you to [task]?"

Claude returns optimal prompt structure. Then use that prompt.

### Prompt Improvement

"Here's my prompt: [prompt] How can I improve it for better results?"

Claude refines your approach.

### Constraint Discovery

"What constraints would help you [task] better?"

Claude reveals what it needs to know.

## Prompt Architecture

### Structure

1. Context (what you're working on)
2. Goal (what you want)
3. Constraints (what to avoid/include)
4. Format (how to return results)
5. Examples (if helpful)

### Example

Context: iOS app with SwiftUI Goal: Add dark mode toggle to settings Constraints:

• Use existing Theme system
• Support system preference
• Persist user choice Format: Complete Swift code with comments

## Prompt Templates

### Feature Request

"In [codebase], add [feature]. Use existing [patterns]. Follow [conventions]. Return: [deliverables]"

### Bug Investigation

"[Symptom] is happening. Expected: [expected behavior] Actual: [actual behavior] Find root cause and fix."

### Code Review

"Review [code] for:

• [Concern 1]
• [Concern 2]
• [Concern 3] Return issues ranked by severity."

### Architecture Decision

"Need to choose between [A] and [B] for [use case]. Consider: [factors] Recommend with reasoning."

## Skill Creation

### From Repeated Prompts

Notice: Same prompt used 3+ times

"Turn this into a reusable skill: [your repeated prompt]"

Claude creates SKILL.md.

### Skill Structure
```yaml
---
name: Skill Name
description: When to use this
allowed-tools: [tools]
model: [model]
---

# Skill Name

[The optimized prompt content]

Prompt Debugging

Not Getting Good Results?

"My prompt: [prompt]
I'm getting: [current results]
I want: [desired results]
What's wrong with my prompt?"

Too Verbose?

"Compress this prompt while keeping quality:
[long prompt]"

Too Vague?

"Make this more specific:
[vague prompt]"

Advanced Patterns

Chain of Thought

"Think through this step by step:
1. First, understand [aspect]
2. Then, identify [aspect]
3. Finally, implement [solution]"

Few-Shot Learning

"Here are examples of what I want:
Input: [A] → Output: [X]
Input: [B] → Output: [Y]

Now do: Input: [C] → Output: ?"

Role Assignment

"Act as a [role] reviewing [thing].
Focus on [concerns] a [role] would have."

Prompt Economics

Token Efficiency

Short prompt + clear constraints > Long prompt + vague intent

Reuse

Good prompt used 100 times = Skill
Skill invocation = 50 tokens
Manual prompt = 500 tokens

90% savings.

Quick Commands

"Best prompt for [task]?"
"Improve: [prompt]"
"Compress: [prompt]"
"Turn into skill: [prompt]"

Use when: Optimizing prompts, creating skills, complex tasks