Modular Prompt Sections
Separating context, instructions, constraints, and output format cleanly.
The Problem with Monolithic Prompts
A monolithic prompt stuffs everything into one paragraph: background, task, rules, examples, and output format all mixed together. As prompts grow in complexity, monolithic structure causes:
- Models misapplying rules to the wrong sections
- Difficulty debugging which part caused a bad output
- Impossible-to-maintain prompt strings
- Inconsistent behavior across model versions
Modular prompts solve all of these problems.
The Five Core Prompt Sections
A well-structured prompt has five distinct sections, each with a clear purpose:
- Context — Background the model needs to understand the situation
- Task — What the model must do, stated clearly
- Constraints — Rules and limits on the response
- Output Format — Structure, length, and schema of the expected response
- Examples — Demonstrations of correct behavior
Not every prompt needs all five. Use only what is necessary.