![The Prompt Cookbook](https://cdn.slatesource.com/4/2/3/423da834-d6a4-423b-9c89-7f26813c73c1.webp)

# The Prompt Cookbook

- [Made in Slatesource](https://slatesource.com/@steph/the-prompt-cookbook)
- By [Steph](https://slatesource.com/@steph)
- Created on Jul 20, 2026

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```
Read the three files I linked. Do not write code yet.
Tell me which of them owns the thing I am about to change,
and tell me what will break if I change it there.
```

## PromptsPrompts that producedproduced realreal thingsthings

EveryEvery promptprompt on this pagepage shippedshipped somethingsomething. That is the only barbar. ThereThere is no theorytheory herehere and no frameworkframework, becausebecause the promptsprompts that survivesurvive contactcontact with a realreal codebasecodebase are boringboring and specificspecific, and the cleverclever onesones you screenshotscreenshot for the timelinetimeline mostlymostly are not. The oneone aboveabove is the highesthighest leverageleverage thingthing herehere. AskingAsking for the blastblast radiusradius beforebefore askingasking for the changechange turnsturns a confidentconfident wrongwrong answeranswer into a usefuluseful questionquestion.

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```
That worked. Now delete everything you added that we did not use,
and show me the diff before you apply it.
---
You have tried this three times. Stop.
Explain what you think the code does, line by line,
and I will tell you where you are wrong.
---
Write the test first. Make it fail for the right reason.
Show me the failure output before you touch the implementation.
```

# Which of these do you actually use?

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[The tool most of these were written against](https://docs.claude.com/en/docs/claude-code/overview?utm_source=slatesource)