Intent-Based Code Patterns

Description

Start with a broad outline and iteratively refine implementation details through conversation with the AI assistant.

Benefits

• Creates more coherent and well-thought-out solutions
• Allows for course correction at each stage
• Mimics natural human collaboration
• Supports complex feature development

When to Use

Most effective for complex tasks where the exact implementation isn't clear from the start. Begin with high-level requirements, then progressively add constraints and specifics.

Example

# First prompt (high-level):
"I need to implement a shopping cart system that supports multiple payment processors."

# Second prompt (adding context):
"Based on your suggestion, I like the modular approach. Let's implement the Cart class first with methods for adding/removing items and calculating totals."

# Third prompt (refining details):
"Now let's implement the payment processor interface and create concrete implementations for Stripe and PayPal."

Description

Strategically provide context to help the AI understand your project's architecture, patterns, and constraints.

Benefits

• Generates code that better fits with existing codebase
• Prevents rework by aligning with project standards
• Improves AI's understanding of domain-specific knowledge
• Produces more accurate implementation suggestions

When to Use

Use when starting work on a new feature that needs to align with existing architecture. Share relevant information about your tech stack, coding standards, and architectural patterns.

Example

"I need to implement a new user profile component. For context:
- We're using React 18 with TypeScript
- Our state management uses Redux Toolkit
- We follow atomic design principles for components
- All forms use Formik with Yup validation
- API calls use our custom useApi hook that handles loading/error states

Here's an example of a similar component in our system:
[paste example code]"

Description

Break down complex features into smaller incremental steps that build on each other.

Benefits

• Creates logical development workflow
• Makes complex features more manageable
• Easier to verify correctness at each step
• Follows test-driven development principles

When to Use

Particularly useful for complex features where implementing everything at once would be overwhelming. Start with core functionality and incrementally add features.

Example

# Step 1: Core data structure
"Let's implement the basic UserProfile class with essential fields and validation."

# Step 2: Add persistence 
"Now let's add methods to save/load the profile from our database."

# Step 3: Add features
"Let's implement profile picture upload and privacy settings."

# Step 4: Add integration
"Finally, let's connect this to our notification system."