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AI Interaction Best Practices

AI Interaction Best Practices: A Developer's Guide

What You'll Learn

This guide will teach you how to effectively communicate with AI tools in your development workflow. You'll learn proven prompting techniques, context management strategies, and troubleshooting approaches that get the best results from AI assistance.

Quick Start

  1. Use clear, specific prompts
  2. Tag relevant files explicitly
  3. Break complex tasks into steps
  4. Monitor and manage context windows

Why This Matters

Think of AI as a junior developer who's brilliant but needs clear instructions. The better you communicate, the better results you'll get. Good AI interaction practices help you avoid confusion and get consistent, high-quality code.

Essential Prompting Techniques

Core Prompting Commands

Use these proven prompts to get better results:

# Key Prompting Instructions

## For Code Generation
"The fewer lines of code, the better"
- Why: Encourages clean, minimal code
- When: Writing new functions or components

"Proceed like a senior developer"
- Why: Promotes professional patterns
- When: Designing architecture or systems

## For Complex Tasks
"Do not stop working until fully implemented"
- Why: Ensures complete solutions
- When: Working on multi-step features

## For Problem Solving
"Start by writing three reasoning paragraphs"
- Why: Forces thorough analysis
- When: Debugging or planning complex changes

"Do not jump to conclusions"
- Why: Promotes careful consideration
- When: Investigating bugs or making decisions

Prompt Structure Template

# Prompt Template

1. Context (2-4 sentences)
   - What we're building
   - Current problem
   - Relevant background

2. File Tags
   - List relevant files
   - Current file context
   - Related components

3. Instructions
   - Clear action items
   - Constraints
   - Expected output

4. Context Data
   - Error messages
   - Documentation links
   - Examples

5. Core Instructions
   - Repeat key points
   - Specify format
   - Note requirements

Managing AI Context

Session Management

Starting a New Session

# New Session Template

## Current Focus
- Feature: [Name]
- Stage: [Planning/Implementation/Debug]
- Priority: [High/Medium/Low]

## Relevant Files
- [file1.js]: [purpose]
- [file2.js]: [purpose]

## Objectives
1. [Primary goal]
2. [Secondary goals]

## Constraints
- Time limitations
- Performance requirements
- Security considerations

Switching Context

Before switching topics, use this summary template:

# Context Switch Summary

## Completed
- [List completed items]
- [Status of current task]

## In Progress
- [Current challenges]
- [Pending decisions]

## Next Steps
- [Immediate next actions]
- [Future considerations]

Tool-Specific Interaction

Cursor Usage Guide

Chat Mode vs Composer Mode

# Mode Selection Guide

## Use Chat Mode For:
- Quick questions
- Information lookup
- Simple clarifications
- Status checks

## Use Composer Mode For:
- Code changes
- Feature implementation
- Refactoring
- Multi-file updates

## Use Agent Mode For:
- Complex operations
- File system tasks
- Terminal commands
- Build processes

Error Resolution Process

Debugging Template

# Error Resolution Process

## 1. Error Description
- Error message
- Stack trace
- Expected behavior
- Actual behavior

## 2. Context Collection
- Related files
- Recent changes
- Environment details
- Reproduction steps

## 3. Analysis Request
"Please analyze this error:
- Start with three reasoning paragraphs
- Consider multiple possible causes
- Suggest debugging steps
- Propose potential solutions"

## 4. Solution Implementation
- Test in isolation
- Verify fix
- Document solution
- Update related docs

Web Search Integration

# Search Query Template

## Problem Statement
"Finding documentation for [topic]
Requirements:
- Must be for version [X.X]
- Focus on [specific aspect]
- Include code examples"

## Context Requirements
- Current stack details
- Version information
- Use case specifics
- Constraints

## Results Integration
1. Verify source reliability
2. Test in isolated environment
3. Document findings
4. Update project docs

Common Pitfalls and Solutions

Problem: AI Generates Overly Complex Code

Solution: Always include "the fewer lines of code, the better" in your prompts.

Problem: Lost Context in Long Sessions

Solution: Use the Context Switch Summary template and create new sessions regularly.

Problem: Inconsistent AI Responses

Solution: Use structured prompt templates and provide clear context.

Quick Tips for Better AI Interaction

  1. Clear Communication

    • Be specific about requirements
    • Provide relevant context
    • Use consistent terminology
    • Include examples

  2. Context Management

    • Regular session refreshes
    • Clear file tagging
    • Documented state
    • Organized switches

  3. Quality Control

    • Review AI output
    • Test thoroughly
    • Document decisions
    • Maintain standards

Safety and Ethics

Code Review Checklist

# AI Code Review

## Security
- [ ] Check for vulnerabilities
- [ ] Verify input handling
- [ ] Review access controls
- [ ] Validate data handling

## Quality
- [ ] Verify logic
- [ ] Check error handling
- [ ] Review performance
- [ ] Test edge cases

## Documentation
- [ ] Clear comments
- [ ] Updated docs
- [ ] Usage examples
- [ ] Security notes

Next Steps

After implementing these practices:

  1. Start with simple interactions
  2. Use templates consistently
  3. Document successful patterns
  4. Refine your approach

Remember: Good AI interaction is a skill that improves with practice. Keep refining your approach and learning from each interaction!