Every prompt below includes a use case, the full prompt, an example of the output to expect, and tips. Swap the [bracketed] parts for your own details.
Explain This Code
Use case: Understand code you didn't write.
Prompt:
Explain this [language] code to someone who knows [your level].
[paste code]
Give: 1) one-sentence purpose, 2) a line-by-line (or block-by-block) walkthrough, 3) any bugs or risky parts, 4) one question I should ask whoever wrote it.
Example output (excerpt): Purpose: "Reads a CSV and totals sales by month." Risk: "Line 12 assumes every row has a date; a blank row will crash it."
Tips: Remove passwords and API keys before pasting code anywhere.
Error Message Decoder
Use case: Fix an error without guessing.
Prompt:
I got this error: [paste full error].
Running: [what you ran], on [OS / tool versions]. Relevant code: [paste].
Explain what the error means in plain English, list the 3 most likely causes ranked, and give the exact fix for the most likely one. Then tell me how to confirm it worked.
Example output (excerpt): "ModuleNotFoundError: Python can't find 'requests'. Most likely: it isn't installed in the environment you're running. Fix: `pip install requests`, then rerun."
Tips: Always paste the full error, including the last lines. That's where the cause usually is.
Spreadsheet Formula Helper
Use case: Get the right Excel/Google Sheets formula.
Prompt:
In [Google Sheets/Excel], my data is: column A = [..], B = [..], C = [..], rows 2 to [n].
I want to [goal, e.g. sum C where A is 'Paid' and B is in March].
Give the formula, explain each part, and show the result on these 3 sample rows: [paste].
Example output (excerpt): =SUMIFS(C2:C200, A2:A200, "Paid", B2:B200, ">="&DATE(2026,3,1), B2:B200, "<"&DATE(2026,4,1))
Tips: Describe columns by header names, not just letters, to avoid mix-ups.
Build a Tiny Script
Use case: Automate a small repetitive task.
Prompt:
Write a beginner-friendly [Python] script that [task, e.g. renames all photos in a folder to date_taken.jpg].
I'm on [OS]. Include: install steps, comments on every block, a dry-run mode that only prints what it would do, and how to run it.
Keep it under [60] lines with no unnecessary libraries.
Example output (excerpt): `python rename.py --dry-run` → "IMG_2043.jpg -> 2026-05-14_1.jpg (not renamed, dry run)"
Tips: Always run the dry run first and back up the folder.
Disclosure: Some links on My AI Cafe are affiliate links. If you buy through them, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend tools I'd use myself, and it never affects which prompts are included.
Use case: Have an AI coding tool build a small, fast Windows text editor from scratch.
Prompt:
You are a senior Windows developer. Build a native Win32 x64 desktop text editor in C++ (MSVC, CMake) in a new empty folder `texteditor/`. Write all code yourself; don't copy any existing editor's code, icons, or branding. Name the app "[your app name]".
Features:
1. One editing area filling the window, with File, Edit, Format, View and Help menus and shortcuts (Ctrl+N/O/S/P/F/H/G/A, F3, F5).
2. Optional status bar with line/column and line-ending type, toggled from View.
3. Open/Save/Save As with standard Windows dialogs (Text Documents *.txt, All Files *.*).
4. Title bar shows "<filename> - [app name]" ("Untitled" for new files) with a * when there are unsaved changes; prompt Save / Don't Save / Cancel before losing changes.
5. Detect and preserve encoding (ANSI, UTF-8 with/without BOM, UTF-16 LE/BE) and line endings (CRLF, LF, CR); Save As lets the user pick an encoding.
6. Find, Replace, Replace All, Find Next (F3) with match case, direction and wrap-around; remember the last search.
7. Go To line, insert time/date (F5), font picker (default monospace 10 pt), word wrap toggle.
8. Print and Page Setup with margins, header (filename) and footer ("Page N").
9. Remember font, wrap, status bar, margins, window size/position and find options between runs (HKCU\Software\[app name]).
10. Open files by drag-and-drop and from the command line.
11. Optional: periodic autosave to a recovery file, offered for restore after a crash.
Edge cases: missing or locked files show an error, never crash; files up to 100 MB open without freezing; warn before saving if characters would be lost in the chosen encoding; read-only files fall back to Save As.
Deliver: README.md with build/run steps, unit tests for encoding and line-ending handling (all passing), and NOTES.md listing every assumption you made.
Tips: Paste this into Grok Build, Claude Code, or Codex. Swap in your own app name, and drop features you don't need to make the build faster.
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