Engineering7 min readUpdated Feb 2025
Coding Prompts: 35 Templates for Developers
Prompts for debugging, refactoring, testing, and reviews—structured for concise, reliable outputs.
Debug, refactor, testCode review & API designSecurity & performance
Speed up dev writing
Summarize and simplify technical text.
Debugging
Find the bug in this {{language}} snippet. Explain the root cause and propose a minimal fix. Code:
{{code}}Refactor for readability
Refactor this {{language}} function for readability. Add docstring, rename variables descriptively, and keep behavior identical. Code:
{{code}}Add tests
Write unit tests for this function in {{framework}}. Cover happy path, edge cases, and failure mode. Code:
{{code}}Explain code to junior dev
Explain what this code does to a junior developer. Include input/output, side effects, and a 3-bullet summary. Code:
{{code}}API design review
Review this REST/GraphQL API for consistency, naming, and error handling. Provide 5 concise recommendations. Spec:
{{spec}}Performance hint
Suggest 3 performance improvements for this code (big-O, memory, queries). Explain trade-offs. Code:
{{code}}Security scan
Identify potential security issues (input validation, auth, secrets) in this code and give fixes. Code:
{{code}}Migration plan
Draft a step-by-step migration plan from {{techA}} to {{techB}}, including rollback steps and smoke tests.Usage tips
- Include language/version/framework to reduce hallucinations.
- Ask for explanations and diff-style fixes when possible.
- Chunk large code; summarize first, then dive into specific areas.
FAQ
Which model is best for code?
Claude 3.5 or GPT-4o for reasoning; Haiku/4o mini for quick snippets. Always review outputs.
Can I paste long code?
Keep snippets focused. For large files, summarize first or chunk the code.
How to avoid hallucinated APIs?
Specify the framework/library versions and ask to only use documented APIs.