Vibe coding prompts: how to write prompts that build apps

Updated Oct 26, 2026 · Sources listed at the end

A good vibe coding prompt says what the user should see or be able to do, where it goes, any constraints (style, data, platforms), and why, and asks for one change at a time. Lovable’s prompting guide gives the example of specifying placement (below the hero, inside a feature card), style (rounded corners, autoplay, muted) and context (why it is there).¹

Principles

• Be clear and specific. Anthropic’s prompt-engineering guide covers clarity, examples and structure (such as XML tags) as core techniques.²
• Give examples of the output you want, such as a sample record or a screenshot.²
• Split big asks into steps: first the data model, then the screens, then auth.
• Paste the exact error when something breaks, plus what you expected.

Example prompts

Build a single-page habit tracker. Users add a habit, tick it off each day, and see a 7-day streak. Store data in the browser only. Clean, minimal styling.

On the settings page, add a “Delete account” button below the profile form, styled as a red outline button. Ask for confirmation in a modal first.

The streak resets when I reload the page. Expected: it persists. Here is the console error: …

When prompts are not enough

For larger projects, put stable instructions in AGENTS.md or CLAUDE.md and consider spec-driven development.

Tools mentioned

• Lovable: free plan, paid from $25/mo
• Bolt.new: free plan, paid from $25/mo
• v0: free plan, paid from $30/mo

Sources

1. Lovable docs: Prompting best practices
2. Claude docs: Prompt engineering overview