The Anatomy of a Claude 4.6 Prompt:

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1. Task

Define what you want & what success looks like:

I want to [TASK] so that [SUCCESS CRITERIA].

No roles, "act as a senior expert." That era is over.

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2. Context Files

Upload context files with your expertise and rules:

First, read these files completely before responding: [filename .md] - [what it contains].

AI went from reading a sticky note to an entire book.

Stop explaining yourself in the prompt. Put it in files.

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3. Reference

Show AI exactly what you want. Upload an example.

Then give patterns, tone & structure as rules. No "give me something like" & hoping AI figures it out.

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4. Brief

This is the only part you actually type from scratch. Everything else is files.

Type of output + length. Does NOT sound like. Success means.

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5. Rules

Context file holds your standards, taste & audience.

Prompt:

Read it fully before starting. If you're about to break one of my rules, stop and tell me.

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6. Conversation

You spent 3 years prompting AI. Now it prompts you

Prompt:

DO NOT start executing yet. Ask me clarifying questions (use 'AskUserQuestion' tool) so we can refine the approach together step by step.

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7. Plan

Claude read your files before writing a single word.

Prompt:

Before you write anything, list the 3 rules from my context file that matter most for this task. Then give me your execution plan.

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8. Alignment

Nothing happens until you both see the same aim. This replaces the old prompting era.

Prompt:

Only begin work once we've aligned.

Copy the full prompt template + download my personal md. files for Claude here: how-to-ai.guide.