What is prompt?

A prompt is a short piece of text or a symbol that appears on a screen to tell you that a computer or program is waiting for you to type something. In a command‑line interface (like Windows Command Prompt or Linux terminal) the prompt shows where you can enter commands. In AI and chat systems, a prompt is the instruction or question you give the model so it knows what kind of answer you want.

Let's break it down

  • Prompt symbol - the characters you see (e.g., “C:>” or ”$”) that mark the start of a line where you can type.
  • User input - the text you type after the prompt, such as a command or a question.
  • Response - what the computer or AI returns after processing your input.
  • In AI, a prompt often has three parts: the instruction (what you want), the context (any background information), and the desired format (how the answer should look).

Why does it matter?

A prompt is the bridge between you and the computer. It tells the system what you want it to do, so without a clear prompt the computer can’t respond correctly. Good prompts make interactions fast, accurate, and predictable, whether you’re running a script, installing software, or getting answers from an AI.

Where is it used?

  • Command‑line terminals (Windows Command Prompt, macOS Terminal, Linux shells)
  • Interactive programming environments (Python REPL, Node.js console)
  • Chatbots and AI assistants (ChatGPT, Claude, Bing Chat)
  • Text‑based games and tutorials
  • Automated scripts that wait for user input

Good things about it

  • Speed: You can issue commands quickly without navigating menus.
  • Control: Precise commands let you do complex tasks with a single line.
  • Automation: Prompts can be scripted, enabling batch processing and repeatable workflows.
  • Flexibility: In AI, a well‑crafted prompt can generate creative text, code, or data summaries.
  • Low resource: Text‑based prompts need little graphics or processing power.

Not-so-good things

  • Steep learning curve: New users may find cryptic symbols and syntax confusing.
  • Ambiguity: Vague prompts can lead to errors or unexpected results, especially with AI.
  • Security risk: Malicious prompts (e.g., command injection) can expose systems to attacks.
  • Limited discoverability: Without visual cues, it’s easy to miss available commands or options.
  • Error handling: Mistyped prompts often produce cryptic error messages that are hard to interpret.