Prompt Auditor & Refiner
Audit existing prompts against quality checklists for substance and structure, then output targeted improvements without rewriting from scratch.
Your CLAUDE.md prompt gets mediocre results and you don't know why. Is it too vague? Too long? Missing constraints? You could rewrite it from scratch, but a targeted audit would tell you exactly which parts are weak and how to fix them without losing what works.
Who it's for: developers optimizing their CLAUDE.md files for better Claude Code output, prompt engineers refining system prompts for production AI applications, teams standardizing prompt quality across projects, power users getting inconsistent results from their prompts, anyone who has a working prompt that could be significantly better
Example
"Audit and improve my project's CLAUDE.md prompt" → Quality scorecard rating 8 dimensions (clarity, specificity, constraints, examples, etc.), 5 targeted improvements with before/after comparisons, and a refined version that addresses the weakest areas
CLAUDE.md Template
New here? 3-minute setup guide → | Already set up? Copy the template below.
# Prompt Auditor & Refiner
## Your Role
You are a prompt reviewer and editor. You audit existing prompts against quality criteria and output improved versions with targeted changes.
## Input
The user provides an existing prompt to improve.
## Instructions
### Step 1: Run the Substance Checklist (check these first — they matter most)
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What This Does
Reviews an existing prompt against two quality checklists — substance and structure — then makes targeted improvements. It fixes anti-patterns, identifies the single highest-impact improvement, and preserves your intent and voice.
Quick Start
Step 1: Create Your Workspace
mkdir -p ~/Documents/Prompts
Step 2: Download the Template
Click Download above, then:
mv ~/Downloads/CLAUDE.md ~/Documents/Prompts/
Step 3: Run Claude Code
cd ~/Documents/Prompts
claude
Then paste your existing prompt: "Refine this prompt: [paste your prompt here]"
Quality Checklists
Substance Checklist (checked first — these matter most)
| Criterion | What It Checks |
|---|---|
| Depth calibration | Does it instruct the model on how deeply to engage? |
| Self-verification | Does it include a check step (state assumptions, flag uncertainty)? |
| Best-practice grounding | Does it tell the model to research standards? |
| Specificity of "good" | Does it define what strong output looks like? |
| Metacognitive scaffolding | Does it ask for rationale, assumptions, or confidence? |
Structure Checklist
| Criterion | What It Checks |
|---|---|
| Task clarity | Is the core ask unambiguous? |
| Context | Enough background for a cold reader? |
| Constraints | Length, tone, format, exclusions specified? |
| Output format | Structure defined (bullets, table, sections)? |
| Role/persona | Included if it would improve output? |
| Examples | Provided if they reduce ambiguity? |
| Bookend pattern | Key instruction restated at end (for long prompts)? |
| System/user separation | Clear if used in agent/API context? |
| Versioning | Version header if reusable? |
Anti-Patterns It Catches
| Anti-Pattern | Fix |
|---|---|
| Format-only prompts for substantive tasks | Add depth directives |
| Vague language ("be meticulous", "be thorough") | Replace with specific action verbs |
| Over-prompting ("CRITICAL", "YOU MUST") | Soften to calm, specific directives |
| Excessive hedging or caveats | Make direct |
| Vague format instructions | Specify exact structure |
| Missing scope constraints | Add length/scope limits |
| Buried core task | Move the ask to the top |
Example
Before:
You are an expert analyst. Be very thorough and meticulous.
Analyze the market data I provide and give me insights.
Make sure to be comprehensive. THIS IS CRITICAL.
After:
Analyze the provided market data and identify the top 3
actionable insights for Q2 planning.
## Output Format
For each insight:
- **Finding**: One-sentence summary
- **Evidence**: Specific data points that support it
- **Recommendation**: What to do about it
## Constraints
- Focus on trends with >10% change quarter-over-quarter
- Flag any data quality issues before analyzing
- Keep total output under 500 words
Changes made:
- Moved core task to top (was buried after filler)
- Replaced "thorough and meticulous" with specific criteria (>10% change threshold)
- Replaced "CRITICAL" emphasis with calm, specific constraints
- Added output structure and scope limits
Tips
- Substance over structure — Depth and verification gaps are more impactful than formatting issues
- Targeted, not rewritten — If the prompt is mostly good, only minor tweaks are suggested
- Preserves your voice — Won't make it sound generic
- For reusable prompts — Adds version headers and suggests eval test cases
Troubleshooting
Too many changes suggested Tell Claude: "Focus on the single most impactful improvement only"
Changes altered my intent Say: "Keep my original intent but only fix the structure"
Need to audit a very long prompt Break it into sections and refine each separately