3 Writing the right prompt
In this chapter
- Learn to recognize the elements that make a prompt effective.
- Acquire a methodology for crafting the right prompt based on your specific needs.
- Build and customize prompt templates in Langflow.
Writing the right prompt is the single most important skill you need to develop a GenAI application successfully. The “art and science” that lets you do that is called prompt engineering.
It is science because we understand the theory of what makes a prompt clear versus ineffective, with proven frameworks to guide us. It is art because there are multiple ways to get the job done. Natural language is intricate, so you must stay creative, experiment, test, and be open to trying something new. I can tell you: prompt engineering is one of the most engaging and inherently “human” parts of GenAI. I hope you enjoy this chapter, which is all about the art and science behind the right prompts.
What makes a good prompt?
Technically, a prompt is the input received by an LLM that generates the corresponding output. Practically—well—the prompt is the foundation of everything we build in GenAI.