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Intent When you need to correct the way an agent performs an intermediate task in a process, turn the correction into a prompt that describes the isolated task. Complete the intermediate step by invoking the agent with just the extracted prompt, and use its o...

Intent Get the model to write down what you should have told it, for it to do the job correctly the first time. Motivation The code or text that an agent generates in response to a prompt often differs from your expectation, in small or large ways. One sour...

Intent Get the model to suggest multiple solutions to your problem. Compare benefits and drawbacks, costs and opportunities, and move forward with your preferred solution. Alternatively, create prototypes of the generated alternatives to explore the proposed ...

Intent Prompt the model to describe the code it creates. Generate reading guides that help you understand and modify the code. Generate instruction manuals that describe how to use the code, and that form the basis for acceptance tests. Motivation Relying o...

You Reflect Intent Review the transcript of your interaction with an agent, recall the tense moments, and plan to change your approach and mindset. Motivation Working with an AI coding agent can be fun, and it can be frustrating. At times, you can be surpr...

Chiron Codex makes the pattern language for AI-augmented software development available for free, under the terms of the Creative Commons CC BY-SA 4.0 licence. You can get early access to upcoming patterns, exclusive content, and support this book along with C...

Call Out Error Intent Tell the agent when it does something wrong, before you commit to the mistake. You don't need to describe the fix, just the problem. Motivation The code (or design, or plan) that a large language model generates can vary from your exp...

Clean Slate Intent Clear out the model’s context before continuing a task, or starting a new task. Motivation In transformer models, including large language models (LLMs), the self-attention layer transforms the input text stream first into token vectors,...

There are two companion repositories for this book. The Chiron Codex Agent Skills repository contains agent skills defined in a standard format that you can use with your AI-augmented coding assistant. Consult your tool's documentation for information on how t...

Re-Read Instructions Intent Tell the model to pay attention to its original prompt, and check if it’s digressing from the goal you set. Motivation Large Language Models (LLMs) display “completion bias”, in which they attempt to progress rapidly towards a s...

Intent Prompt the model to list the assumptions inherent in your prompt, or missing information that’s needed to complete your task, and describe its resolution—or ask you for input. Motivation Software engineers spend significant time on discovering and re...

Intent Don't try to fix everything in one sitting. Tell the model to record open questions so you can focus on a single problem. Motivation Getting accurate results from an LLM-augmented code assistant can feel like an exercise in detailed specification. Yo...

Trust the Tests Intent Trust the tests, and not the agent. Create external quality checks, and ensure that the software you create passes those checks even when the agent reports that it’s “done”. Motivation Software engineers organize quality-checking wor...

Replace Vibes with Tools Intent When a part of your problem is well-specified and deterministic, don’t use a generative approach to try to find a solution. Create a reusable, reproducible tool that your generative assistant can use. Motivation Not all prob...

Build a Model Intent Prompt the language model to build a prototype of your solution. Explore the prototype, then Start Over and incorporate your findings. Motivation No description of a software system—be it a user prompt for a coding assistant to follow,...

Model Reflects Intent Ask the model to identify important changes or inflection points in your interaction. Prompt it to generate suggestions to improve your work with the assistant in future interactions. Motivation While you’re working with your coding a...

Bake Off Intent Give the same prompt to multiple assistants—or to multiple instances of the same assistant. Compare the results and identify whether you need to change your tools, your model, or your prompt. Motivation A coding assistant comprises multiple...