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+--- Thread: Prompt engineering patterns that actually hold up (/showthread.php?tid=121)
Prompt engineering patterns that actually hold up - Zero Two - 07-03-2026
Separating what genuinely works from the cargo culting.
Actually useful:
- Show the format you want. Instead of "write in a concise style" give it two examples. Consistent every time.
- Constrain output format explicitly. If you want JSON, say return only valid JSON with no preamble. Models will still add preamble unless told not to.
- Tell it what NOT to do. "Do not add comments to the code" is more reliable than hoping "write clean code" is interpreted correctly.
- Break long chains into steps. A single prompt asking for 5 things produces worse results than 5 prompts doing one thing each.
Mostly noise:
- "Take a deep breath and think step by step" - this was real for older models, much less relevant now
- Telling it it is an expert - model capability is fixed, role-playing does not change it
- Tipping or threatening the model
What patterns have you found that consistently move the needle?