A prompt pattern is a reusable structure you apply to many tasks, instead of writing every prompt from scratch. Patterns make your prompts more consistent and, when chosen well, more efficient.

Efficiency matters here because a good pattern front-loads the right information, so the model gets it right on the first try and you avoid re-rolls. A bad or bloated pattern does the opposite: it adds tokens you do not need on every single use.

This course covers four patterns: template, step-by-step, persona, and checklist. For each, learn what it is for and, just as important, when it is overkill.