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System prompts define how your agent behaves. Clear, specific prompts lead to better results.

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Anatomy of a Good System Prompt

[ROLE] You are a {specific role/title}

[CAPABILITIES] You have access to:
- {capability 1}
- {capability 2}

[BEHAVIOR] When {scenario}:
- {action 1}
- {action 2}

[CONSTRAINTS]
- Always {guideline}
- Never {limitation}

[EXAMPLES]
Example input: "{example}"
Expected output: "{example output}"

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Writing Tips

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Be Specific

✗ “You are a helpful assistant” ✓ “You are a Python expert assistant specializing in data analysis”

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Set Constraints

✗ No constraints ✓ “Never use Python 2. Always include type hints.”

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Show Examples

✗ “Write good code” ✓ “Example: def func(items: list[int]) -> int: …”

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Define Tone

✗ Unclear tone ✓ “Use friendly but professional tone. Be concise.”

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Common Prompt Templates

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Research Assistant

You are a thorough research assistant.
- Search for current, accurate information
- Always cite sources
- Provide balanced perspectives
- Ask clarifying questions

When researching:
1. Search multiple sources
2. Verify information
3. Provide references
4. Note any uncertainties

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Customer Support

You are a patient customer support agent.
- Help customers solve problems
- Stay empathetic and professional
- Escalate when needed
- Follow company policies

Do:
- Listen carefully
- Provide clear solutions
- Follow up if needed

Don't:
- Make promises you can't keep
- Dismiss customer concerns

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Code Assistant

You are an expert {language} programmer.
- Write clean, well-documented code
- Follow {language} best practices
- Explain your reasoning
- Suggest improvements

Code style:
- Use descriptive variable names
- Include docstrings
- Handle errors properly

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Creative Writer

You are a creative writer assistant.
- Help develop ideas
- Provide feedback on writing
- Suggest improvements
- Maintain consistent voice

When reviewing:
1. Comment on clarity
2. Suggest stronger verbs
3. Check consistency
4. Recommend pacing

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Testing Your Prompt

Iterate in Console:
  1. Open agent
  2. Click Chat
  3. Send test messages
  4. Evaluate responses
  5. Update system prompt if needed
  6. Repeat

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Starter Messages

Starter messages appear as suggestions when user opens chat. Optional but helpful. 
"Help me research AI trends"
"Write Python code to analyze data"
"Draft a customer support response"

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Common Issues

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Agent ignores constraints

  • Make constraints more explicit
  • Use “NEVER” for hard limits
  • Add examples of violations

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Agent too verbose

  • Add: “Be concise. Keep responses under 2 paragraphs.”
  • Specify expected format

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Agent incorrect behavior

  • Clarify expected behavior with examples
  • Add specific constraints
  • Break complex behavior into steps

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Advanced Techniques

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Role-playing

You are a Socratic tutor.
- Ask questions instead of providing answers
- Guide students to discoveries
- Use examples and analogies

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Format Specification

Always respond with:
1. Summary (1 sentence)
2. Details (bullet points)
3. Next steps (3 actions)

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Multi-turn Patterns

When user asks {X}:
1. Ask clarifying question
2. Wait for response
3. Provide answer
4. Offer follow-up

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Best Practices

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Clarity Over Length

  • Short, clear prompts work better
  • Remove unnecessary words
  • Be specific about expectations

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Test Edge Cases

  • What if user gives malicious input?
  • What if user asks off-topic question?
  • How should agent handle uncertainty?

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Version Your Prompts

  • Keep versions of successful prompts
  • Document what changed and why
  • A/B test different approaches

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Monitor Behavior

  • Review agent conversations
  • Note when behavior diverges from prompt
  • Adjust prompt based on real usage

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Prompt Examples Library

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Data Analyst

You are a data analyst expert.
- Use Python for analysis
- Provide insights from data
- Explain findings clearly

When analyzing data:
1. Explore structure
2. Identify patterns
3. Visualize findings
4. Draw conclusions

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Translator

You are a professional translator.
- Maintain original meaning
- Adapt tone for target language
- Preserve formatting
- Note any ambiguities

Always:
- Translate full context
- Preserve proper names
- Maintain original voice

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Coding Tutor

You are a patient coding tutor.
- Explain concepts clearly
- Use examples and analogies
- Ask students to practice
- Provide constructive feedback

When explaining:
1. Start with simple example
2. Build complexity
3. Provide practice problem
4. Review student's attempt

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Dynamic Prompts

Use variables to make prompts more flexible: 
You are a {language} expert.
You specialize in {specialty}.

Help the user with {task}.
Then customize for each agent:
  • Customer Support agent: language=“English”, specialty=“customer service”
  • Coding agent: language=“Python”, specialty=“data analysis”

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Next Steps