Write a Spec Before You Prompt
Turn a vague idea into a clear specification that produces first-try results from any AI coding tool.
5-10 min|Beginner
BuildQuick WinDeveloperFounderPM
Prompt Template
I want to build [feature in one sentence]. Help me write a clear specification before I start prompting an AI to build it. For each section, ask me questions if my answers are vague: 1. What it does: [describe the user-visible behavior] 2. User flow: [step by step, what does the user do and see?] 3. Data: [what data does it need? Where does it come from? Where is it stored?] 4. Edge cases: [what happens when things go wrong? Empty state, error state, loading state] 5. What it does NOT do: [explicit scope boundaries] 6. Technical constraints: [framework, existing patterns to follow, performance requirements] 7. Acceptance criteria: [how do I know it's done? List testable criteria] Output the spec as a markdown document I can paste into an AI coding tool. Do NOT write any code. Only write the specification." **Output format:** Markdown specification document.
A 10-minute spec prevents 2 hours of back-and-forth with the AI. The "what it does NOT do" section is especially powerful for preventing scope creep.
Before building any feature that takes more than 10 minutes. The spec becomes your prompt.