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Part XIII — Expert Mode: Systems, Agents, and Automation/39. Prompt Engineering for Experts (The Real Stuff)/39.1 Hierarchical prompts: global rules → module rules → task rules
39.1 Hierarchical prompts: global rules → module rules → task rules
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The Cascade Strategy
If you put 50 rules in one system prompt, the model will ignore half of them (the "Lost in the Middle" phenomenon).
Split your context:
- Global Rules: "Always use TypeScript. Always use 2 spaces indentation." (Applied to everything).
- Module Rules: "In `/auth`, use the `User` class, never `db.users` directly." (Applied only when editing auth files).
- Task Rules: "For this specific bug, ensure you handle the null case." (Applied only now).
Dynamically assemble the prompt: `System = Global + Module + Task`.
Example Hierarchy
Global:
- No `console.log` in production.
- Use `zod` for validation.
Module (Payment):
- NEVER log credit card numbers.
- Retry Stripe calls 3 times.
Task:
- Fix the retry logic in `charge.ts`.