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name: prompt-refiner-claude description: Refine prompts for Claude models (Opus, Sonnet, Haiku) using Anthropic's best practices. Use when preparing complex tasks for Claude.

Claude Prompt Refiner

Refine prompts to get better results from Claude models by applying Anthropic's recommended patterns.

When to Use

Invoke this skill when you have a task for Claude that:

• Involves multiple steps or files
• Requires specific output formatting
• Needs careful reasoning or analysis
• Would benefit from structured context

Refinement Process

Step 1: Analyze the Draft Prompt

Review the user's prompt for:

• Clear outcome definition
• Sufficient context
• Explicit constraints
• Success criteria

Ask clarifying questions if any of these are missing.

Step 2: Apply Claude-Specific Patterns

Structure with XML tags: Claude responds exceptionally well to XML-style tags for organizing complex prompts:

• <context> - Background information, codebase state, environment
• <task> - The specific action to take
• <requirements> - Must-have criteria
• <constraints> - Limitations and boundaries
• <examples> - Sample inputs/outputs if helpful
• <output_format> - How to structure the response

Ordering matters:

1. Context first (what exists)
2. Task second (what to do)
3. Requirements third (how to do it)
4. Examples last (clarifying edge cases)

Step 3: Enhance for Reasoning

For complex tasks, add thinking prompts:

• "Think through the approach before implementing"
• "Consider these edge cases: ..."
• "Explain your reasoning for key decisions"

Step 4: Output the Refined Prompt

Present the improved prompt with:

• Clear section headers
• XML tags where beneficial
• Specific, measurable criteria
• An explanation of what changed and why

Example Transformations

Example 1: Vague Task

Before:

CopyAdd caching to the API

After:

Copy<context>
The /api/products endpoint currently queries the database on every request.
Average response time is 200ms. We use Redis for other caching in the app.
</context>

<task>
Add Redis caching to the /api/products endpoint to reduce database load.
</task>

<requirements>
- Cache TTL of 5 minutes
- Cache invalidation when products are updated
- Graceful fallback to database if Redis is unavailable
- Add cache hit/miss metrics logging
</requirements>

<constraints>
- Don't change the response format
- Must pass existing integration tests
- Use our existing Redis connection from src/lib/redis.ts
</constraints>

Example 2: Code Review Request

Before:

CopyReview this PR

After:

Copy<context>
This PR adds user authentication to our Next.js application.
Our stack: Next.js 14, TypeScript, Prisma, PostgreSQL.
Security is critical - this handles user sessions and passwords.
</context>

<task>
Review the changes in this PR for security issues, code quality, and adherence to our patterns.
</task>

<requirements>
Focus on:
1. Security vulnerabilities (auth bypass, injection, etc.)
2. Error handling and edge cases
3. TypeScript type safety
4. Test coverage for critical paths
</requirements>

<output_format>
Organize your review as:
## Critical Issues (must fix before merge)
## Recommendations (should consider)
## Minor Suggestions (nice to have)
## What Looks Good (positive feedback)
</output_format>

Example 3: Feature Implementation

Before:

CopyAdd dark mode

After:

Copy<context>
React application using Tailwind CSS for styling.
Currently only has light mode. Design tokens are in tailwind.config.js.
User preference should persist across sessions.
</context>

<task>
Implement dark mode toggle with system preference detection and persistence.
</task>

<requirements>
- Toggle component in the header
- Detect system preference on first visit
- Persist user choice in localStorage
- Smooth transition between modes
- Update all existing components to support both modes
</requirements>

<constraints>
- Use Tailwind's built-in dark mode support
- Don't add new dependencies
- Ensure WCAG AA contrast ratios in both modes
</constraints>

<examples>
Current light mode colors:
- Background: bg-white
- Text: text-gray-900
- Primary: text-blue-600

Expected dark mode equivalents:
- Background: dark:bg-gray-900
- Text: dark:text-gray-100
- Primary: dark:text-blue-400
</examples>

Tips for Best Results

1. Be specific about scope - "the auth module" → "src/auth/session.ts"
2. Include file paths when relevant
3. Reference existing patterns - "follow the pattern in UserService.ts"
4. State what NOT to do - constraints prevent unwanted changes
5. Define done - what does success look like?