Replit Agent prompt guide

How to prompt Replit Agent

1. Outline the app's features and user flow before prompting, then state the goal plainly.
2. Split the build into stages and ask for the basic version first, then add features in later prompts.
3. Be specific: list fields, validation rules, formats, edge cases and what happens on submit.
4. Say what you want instead of what you don't ('make it handle 10k rows fast', not 'don't be slow').
5. Use short bullet points for multi-part requirements.
6. Start in Plan mode for complex or uncertain work, review the task list, then choose 'Build here'.
7. Give context: relevant files, examples, screenshots, links.
8. For bugs, paste the exact error, the file names, the relevant code and what you've already tried.
9. Say what to keep, prioritise or exclude, and how the result will be used.
10. Start a new chat for unrelated tasks and rely on checkpoints to roll back.

The shape of a good prompt

[Outcome: what to build and for whom] [Key user flow] [Stage 1 scope] [Requirements as bullets: fields, rules, formats] [Context: files, screenshots, examples] [Boundaries: keep, exclude] [Plan first if complex]

Avoid

• Asking for a 'complete platform' in one prompt
• Phrasing requirements as negatives
• Vague one-liners like 'add a contact form' with no fields or behaviour
• Bug reports without the error text
• Mixing unrelated tasks in one chat

Example

Request an expense tracker for my team

Build a web app where a small team (5-15 people) logs work expenses and a manager approves them.

User flow: employee logs in -> submits expense (date, amount in GBP, category, description, receipt photo) -> manager sees a pending list -> approves or rejects with a comment -> employee sees the status.

Stage 1 only: login, the submit form, and the employee's own expense list. Approval comes next.

Requirements:
- Amount must be a positive number with 2 decimals
- Categories: Travel, Meals, Equipment, Other
- Receipt upload accepts JPG/PNG/PDF up to 5 MB
- List sorted newest first, with status badges (Pending/Approved/Rejected)

Use a PostgreSQL database. Plan the data model first and show me the task list before building.