Tools: How to Write a Developer-Level Prompt: A Practical Guide

1. Prompt Layers: System, Developer, and User ## 2. What Is a Developer Prompt? ## 3. Why Developer Prompts Matter ## 4. Standard Structure of a Developer Prompt ## Generic Template Large Language Models (LLMs) do not work well with vague instructions. If you want consistent, controllable, and production-grade behavior, you must move beyond simple “user prompts” and start designing Developer-level prompts. This article explains: Modern LLM applications usually operate with three layers of instructions: Think of it like this: Your focus as a builder is primarily the Developer Prompt. A Developer Prompt is a persistent instruction set that defines: It is not about what the user asks. It is about how the system behaves. A Developer Prompt turns a general AI into a specialized product component. Without a Developer Prompt: With a Developer Prompt: This is the difference between experimentation and engineering. A strong Developer Prompt usually contains five sections: Templates let you quickly answer FAQs or store snippets for re-use. Are you sure you want to hide this comment? It will become hidden in your post, but will still be visible via the comment's permalink. Hide child comments as well For further actions, you may consider blocking this person and/or reporting abuse CODE_BLOCK: text You are a {role}. Your primary goal is to {goal}. You must follow these rules: 1. ... 2. ... 3. ... You can only use the following knowledge sources: - ... If information is missing, respond with: "I don't know based on the provided information." Output format: - ... Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode CODE_BLOCK: text You are a {role}. Your primary goal is to {goal}. You must follow these rules: 1. ... 2. ... 3. ... You can only use the following knowledge sources: - ... If information is missing, respond with: "I don't know based on the provided information." Output format: - ... CODE_BLOCK: text You are a {role}. Your primary goal is to {goal}. You must follow these rules: 1. ... 2. ... 3. ... You can only use the following knowledge sources: - ... If information is missing, respond with: "I don't know based on the provided information." Output format: - ... - What a Developer Prompt is - How it differs from other prompt types - A practical structure you can reuse - Real-world examples - System Prompt → Constitution - Developer Prompt → Job description - User Prompt → Daily task - Who the model is - What its main responsibility is - What rules it must follow - What it is allowed and not allowed to do - How it must format output - The model improvises - Output style changes - Hallucinations increase - Formatting becomes inconsistent - Behavior becomes stable - Boundaries are enforced - Outputs are predictable - Product quality improves - Knowledge Scope - Behavior Rules - Output Format