Prompt Engineering Cheatsheet 2026
Quick Reference: Bookmark this page for fast lookup.
| Command / Key | What It Does |
|---|---|
| Be specific | ‘Write a 500-word blog post about X for Y audience’ > ‘Write about X’ |
| Assign a role | ‘You are an expert [role] with [years] experience in [field]’ |
| Give context | Include audience, goals, constraints, and background information |
| Use examples | ‘Here is an example of good output: [example]’ |
| Set format | ‘Format as: bullet points / table / step-by-step / JSON / markdown’ |
| Chain prompts | Break complex tasks into steps. Build on previous outputs. |
| Ask for options | ‘Give me 5 different approaches to…’ |
| Iterate | ‘Make it shorter / More formal / Add examples / Change the tone’ |
| Think step by step | ‘Think through this step by step before answering’ |
| Constrain output | ‘In exactly 200 words’ or ‘In 3 bullet points maximum’ |
Tips
- Bookmark this page for quick reference
- Practice the most common shortcuts until they become muscle memory
- Print this cheatsheet and keep it visible while working
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