Master these and you'll build better apps than most developers
Don't say "build me a todo app." Say "build me a todo app that feels motivating and celebrates small wins."
❌ "Build a habit tracker" ✅ "Build a habit tracker that feels encouraging and supportive" ❌ "Create a budget app" ✅ "Create a budget app that feels empowering, not restrictive" ❌ "Make a note-taking app" ✅ "Make a note-taking app that feels organized and calm"
Don't just list features - explain why they matter and how they should work.
❌ "Include notifications" ✅ "Include gentle, encouraging notifications that don't feel pushy" ❌ "Add dark mode" ✅ "Add a beautiful dark mode that feels premium and easy on the eyes" ❌ "Make it responsive" ✅ "Make it work perfectly on phones with thumb-friendly touch targets"
Describe what users experience, not what developers build.
❌ "Implement JWT authentication with role-based access control" ✅ "Let users sign in easily and keep their data private and secure" ❌ "Create a REST API with CRUD operations" ✅ "Let users save, edit, and delete their items smoothly" ❌ "Use CSS animations for state transitions" ✅ "Add satisfying animations that make interactions feel responsive"
Help AI understand your vision by showing, not just telling.
❌ "Make it look modern" ✅ "Make it look modern like Linear or Notion - clean, minimal, with plenty of white space" ❌ "Add good UX" ✅ "Make it feel like Apple's apps - intuitive gestures, smooth transitions, delightful details" ❌ "Include social features" ✅ "Let users share progress like Strava - optional, celebratory, never pressure"
Don't just say "make it better" - give specific, actionable feedback.
❌ "This doesn't look good" ✅ "The buttons feel too small for mobile - make them bigger and easier to tap" ❌ "Fix the colors" ✅ "The red feels too aggressive - try a softer, warmer color that feels encouraging" ❌ "Improve the animations" ✅ "Make the confetti animation trigger faster and last longer - it should feel like a real celebration"
The right words unlock the right vibes
Level up your prompting game
Combine multiple references to nail the exact vibe you want.
"Make it feel like: • Linear's clean design • Notion's flexibility • Apple's attention to detail • Stripe's premium feel • Spotify's discovery joy"
Tell AI what NOT to do to avoid common mistakes.
"Make it encouraging, NOT: • Guilt-tripping or shame-based • Corporate or clinical feeling • Overwhelming with too many options • Pushy with notifications • Generic or templated looking"
Describe a user's journey through your app.
"When Sarah opens the app at 7am, she should feel energized and ready to tackle her day. As she checks off her morning routine, each completed task should feel satisfying - maybe with a gentle animation or sound. By the end of the week, looking at her progress should make her proud of how far she's come."
Use this exact pattern for every revision request.
1. What specifically isn't working: "The login feels intimidating" 2. What emotion you want instead: "It should feel welcoming and safe" 3. Specific change to make: "Make the form smaller, add friendly copy, use softer colors" 4. Test case: "A new user should feel confident, not anxious"