# Prompting Anti-Patterns (And Fixes)

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## Contents
- Why Anti-Patterns Cause Rework
- Common Anti-Patterns and Fixes
- Quick Self-Check Before Sending
- Next Steps

## Why Anti-Patterns Cause Rework
Anti-patterns are prompt styles that are too broad or ambiguous. They usually produce low-quality output, extra retries, and higher token use.

## Common Anti-Patterns and Fixes
Too broad:
```text
Fix everything in this project.
```
Better:
Example prompt:
```text
Refactor this file to remove duplication. Do not change behavior.
```

Too vague:
```text
Make this code better.
```
Better:
Example prompt:
```text
Improve naming and add comments only where logic is complex.
```

Missing inputs:
```text
Update the service to handle retries.
```
Better:
Example prompt:
```text
Update ServiceA in src/service/ServiceA.kt to retry 2 times on 5xx. Keep API the same.
```

## Quick Self-Check Before Sending
1. Did I name the exact file or function?
2. Did I say what must not change?
3. Did I ask for one clear output type?

## Next Steps
- Read [Prompting Patterns](prompting-patterns.md) for reusable templates.
- Use [Plan-First Workflow](plan-first-workflow.md) for larger changes.