jnzader-vault Prompt Improver Skill
Turn vague, under-specified prompts into actionable, high-quality instructions using a structured 4-phase process.
Bypass
Prefix your prompt with * to skip all enrichment and execute immediately:
* just do it
* create the file without asking
Phase 1 — Analyze
Goal: Determine if the prompt needs enrichment.
Detect vagueness by checking:
- Word count < 15
- No clear action verb present (
create,fix,refactor,add,remove,update,write,build,test,explain,analyze,generate,implement,debug,review,deploy,configure) - No context clues (file names, component names, tech stack keywords)
- Ambiguous scope (could mean many different things)
If the prompt is clear → skip to Phase 4 (Execute).
If vague → proceed to Phase 2.
Phase 2 — Research
Goal: Gather context from the codebase to ask smarter questions.
Run targeted searches to understand what already exists:
# Find related files based on keywords in the prompt
grep -r "<keyword>" --include="*.ts" --include="*.py" --include="*.go" -l | head -10
# Check for existing patterns or similar implementations
grep -r "<concept>" --include="*.md" -l | head -5
# Understand project structure
ls -1 src/ 2>/dev/null || ls -1 | head -20
Use research findings to make the clarifying questions specific, not generic.
Phase 3 — Question
Goal: Ask max 3 targeted questions. Wait for user answers before proceeding.
Select only the most impactful questions from these categories:
| Category | Question |
|---|---|
| Output | What is the expected output or deliverable? (file, endpoint, component, report…) |
| Constraints | What constraints apply? (language, framework, style guide, existing patterns to follow) |
| Context | What already exists that I should build on or avoid duplicating? |
Rules:
- Ask at most 3 questions, ideally fewer if research answered some already
- Make questions specific: "Should this use the existing
AuthServiceor a new one?" not "What should I use?" - Present findings from Phase 2 to show you've already looked
- Wait for answers before starting any code or file changes
Example output:
I found 2 existing auth handlers in src/api/auth.ts.
Before I proceed, 2 quick questions:
1. Should the new endpoint extend AuthService or create a separate flow?
2. What error format should failures return — current JSON schema or HTTP exceptions?
Phase 4 — Execute
Goal: Proceed with full context, producing high-quality output.
With enriched context from the user's answers:
- Restate the refined task in 1-2 sentences to confirm understanding
- Execute with specificity — reference exact files, functions, and patterns found in Phase 2
- Follow existing conventions from the codebase (naming, error handling, structure)
- If anything is still ambiguous, make a reasonable decision and state the assumption explicitly
Quick Reference
Vague prompt detected
↓
Phase 1: Analyze → Is it vague?
↓ yes
Phase 2: Research → grep codebase for context
↓
Phase 3: Question → ask ≤3 targeted questions → wait for answers
↓
Phase 4: Execute → proceed with enriched context
Notes
This skill is triggered automatically by the improve-prompt hook in .ai-config/hooks/improve-prompt.md. You can also invoke it manually when a user seems uncertain about what they want.