Prompt Templates Every Developer Should Have in 2025
By Ghazi Khan | Nov 11, 2025 - 6 min read
You already know that AI IDEs like Cursor, Windsurf, Claude Code, and v0.dev are powerful, but most developers still waste their potential with half-baked prompts like:
“Make this better.”
“Fix this bug.”
“Add a login page.”
AI can only give you as much as you give it.
So here’s your developer-ready library of AI prompt templates, built from real-world use, tested in Cursor, Claude, and Windsurf for everything from debugging to UI design.
Copy, tweak, and make them your own.
⚙️ 1. 🧩 Code Generation & Refactoring
🔹 Generate a Component or Function
🎯 Goal: Create a reusable React component for a user profile card.
🧱 Context: Using Next.js 15 with Tailwind and ShadCN UI.
📜 Include: Avatar, name, bio, and “Follow” button.
❌ Exclude: Backend integration or API calls.
✅ Output: TypeScript + JSX code only.
💡 Use in: Cursor / Windsurf / Claude Code
Result → Readable, styled, and functional component ready for integration.
🔹 Refactor for Performance & Readability
🎯 Goal: Refactor this React hook for better readability and performance.
🧱 Context: Next.js 15 + TypeScript. Avoid breaking API contracts.
📜 Include: Type annotations, comments, and error handling.
❌ Exclude: Any new libraries or global state changes.
💡 Use in: Cursor
Try chaining: “Now explain your refactor and justify your choices.”
🔹 Modernize Legacy Code
🎯 Goal: Upgrade this codebase from React 17 to React 19.
🧱 Context: Large project with class components and legacy state.
📜 Include: Migrate to hooks, suspense, and concurrent rendering.
✅ Output: Examples for at least one class-to-hook conversion.
💡 Use in: Windsurf or Claude Code
Perfect for step-by-step modernization projects.
🧠 2. 🧪 Debugging & Testing Prompts
🔹 Fix a Specific Bug
🎯 Goal: Identify and fix the “undefined data” bug in this fetch function.
🧱 Context: Next.js 15 + MongoDB + SWR.
📜 Include: Detailed reasoning before fixing.
✅ Output: Corrected function + explanation of root cause.
💡 Use in: Cursor
Follow up with: “Now write a unit test for this function.”
🔹 Generate Unit & Integration Tests
🎯 Goal: Write Jest + React Testing Library tests for this component.
🧱 Context: TypeScript + Next.js + Tailwind.
📜 Include: Edge cases, snapshot test, async state.
✅ Output: Test file with imports and mocks included.
💡 Use in: Claude Code or Windsurf
Use the follow-up: “Add comments explaining what each test validates.”
🔹 Simulate Error Scenarios
🎯 Goal: Test how this function behaves when API returns 500.
🧱 Context: Node.js + Axios.
📜 Include: Mock implementation using Jest.
✅ Output: Single test block demonstrating error handling.
🧩 3. 🎨 Frontend & UI Design Prompts
🔹 Build a UI Section with v0.dev
🎯 Goal: Create a responsive pricing section with 3 plans and highlighted middle plan.
🧱 Context: Tailwind + ShadCN UI.
📜 Include: Animations, hover effects, and subtle gradient background.
✅ Output: React + Tailwind code only.
💡 Use in: v0.dev
Export the result to Cursor for logic integration.
🔹 Improve Visual Hierarchy
🎯 Goal: Improve visual hierarchy and spacing for this landing page section.
🧱 Context: Tailwind + Next.js 15.
📜 Include: Focused typography, consistent padding, color balance.
✅ Output: Updated JSX + CSS.
💡 Use in: Claude Code or Windsurf
Follow up with: “Explain why these changes improve usability.”
🔹 Generate UI Copy & Microinteractions
🎯 Goal: Create engaging microcopy and button text for an onboarding flow.
🧱 Context: SaaS app for developers.
📜 Include: Friendly but concise tone, tooltips, empty states.
✅ Output: Copy lines and short UX rationale.
⚡ 4. 🧱 Architecture & System Design Prompts
🔹 Create a Modular Folder Structure
🎯 Goal: Suggest a scalable folder structure for a SaaS app.
🧱 Context: Next.js + Node + MongoDB + TypeScript.
📜 Include: Folders for routes, services, components, models, utils.
✅ Output: Markdown tree structure + explanation of choices.
💡 Use in: Claude or Windsurf
Ask follow-up: “Explain how to make this structure monorepo-ready.”
🔹 Generate API Design Spec
🎯 Goal: Design a REST API spec for a feedback system.
🧱 Context: Express + MongoDB.
📜 Include: Endpoints, request/response schema, and validation logic.
✅ Output: JSON + OpenAPI 3.1 YAML format.
💡 Use in: Claude Code
Perfect for creating docs before writing actual code.
🔹 Code Review Prompt
🎯 Goal: Review this PR for performance, readability, and security.
🧱 Context: TypeScript + Node.js.
📜 Include: Identify redundant code, potential optimizations, and suggest improvements.
✅ Output: Markdown summary with code suggestions.
💡 Use in: Cursor / Windsurf
You can chain it with: “Now apply your own recommended changes.”
🧠 5. 🔍 Optimization & Deployment Prompts
🔹 Optimize Performance
🎯 Goal: Optimize this React component for render performance.
🧱 Context: Uses multiple props and context providers.
📜 Include: memoization, selective re-renders, and lazy imports.
✅ Output: Updated component + short explanation.
🔹 Generate Deployment Config
🎯 Goal: Write a Dockerfile and deployment workflow for this fullstack app.
🧱 Context: Node backend, Next.js frontend, MongoDB.
📜 Include: Multi-stage build, environment variables, and health checks.
✅ Output: Dockerfile + GitHub Actions YAML.
🔹 Post-Deployment Audit
🎯 Goal: Analyze my Lighthouse report and suggest specific code-level improvements.
🧱 Context: Next.js 15 app.
📜 Include: Focus on accessibility, LCP, and layout shift.
✅ Output: Actionable fixes with examples.
⚙️ 6. 💬 Team & Documentation Prompts
🔹 Generate Documentation
🎯 Goal: Write documentation for the API routes in this file.
🧱 Context: Express + TypeScript.
📜 Include: Function purpose, params, responses, and examples.
✅ Output: Markdown table.
🔹 Summarize PR or Commit
🎯 Goal: Summarize this PR in less than 5 lines for changelog.
🧱 Context: Frontend feature update.
📜 Include: Added features, fixed bugs, and impact area.
✅ Output: Markdown bullet list.
🔹 Create Team AI Prompt Guidelines
🎯 Goal: Define company-wide best practices for AI IDE usage.
🧱 Context: Team uses Cursor + Claude + v0.dev.
📜 Include: Do’s, Don’ts, and template examples.
✅ Output: Markdown policy doc.
🧭 Final Thoughts
AI isn’t magic — it’s math guided by intent.
If you give it context, constraints, and clarity, it’ll write like your best developer.
But if you toss it random commands, it’ll act like an intern guessing syntax.
So stop “prompting.” Start engineering conversations.
Copy these templates, adapt them, build your library, and you’ll turn AI IDEs into your most reliable teammates.
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