Why This Matters

A prompt-template library turns one-off prompts into reusable assets. Version control lets you iterate. This project delivers a personal library that scales.

Concept Explained

A Git repo with .md template files. Each template has {{placeholders}}. README documents usage. Substitute placeholders before pasting into Copilot.

How It Works

Create a repo. Add 10 templates (review, tests, refactor, doc, debug, etc.). Add README with usage. Commit. Iterate.

Step-by-Step Tutorial

1. Create repo

2. Add 10 templates

3. Add README

4. Add a substitution script

5. Commit and share

Real-World Example

A developer built a 15-template library over a month. Shared with team. Team adopted 10 of 15. Saved an estimated 30 minutes/day per developer across the team of 8. Total: 4 hours/day saved.

Example Prompts / Commands / Code

# templates/code-review.md
Act as a senior {{language}} engineer reviewing code for production readiness.
Focus: {{focus}}
Output as numbered list. Each item: severity (high/med/low), issue, fix.
Code:
{{code}}

#!/bin/bash
# use-template.sh
TEMPLATE=$1
shift
ARGS=$@
sed_args=()
for arg in ${{ARGS}}; do
  key=$(echo $arg | cut -d= -f1)
  value=$(echo $arg | cut -d= -f2-)
  sed_args+=(-e "s/{{${key}}}/${value}/g")
done
sed "${sed_args[@]}" templates/${TEMPLATE}.md | pbcopy
echo "Template copied to clipboard."

Common Mistakes

• Templates too generic — produce vague output.
• No placeholders — just saved prompts.
• No README — team doesn't know how to use.
• Not iterating — first version rarely best.

Best Practices

• Use {{placeholders}} for variable parts.
• Add README documenting each template.
• Include a substitution script.
• Commit to Git; iterate over time.
• Share with team; adopt their best templates.

Troubleshooting

Practical Exercise

Professional Challenge

Frequently Asked Questions

Further Reading

• Prompt engineering

Official References

• Prompt engineering

Related lessons: IN-06, IN-46