9 Best Claude Prompt Templates for Developers (Token-Saving Daily Pack)

Source: Dev.to

How to Save Tokens With Claude (Quick Rules)

One prompt = one feature (avoid “and also… and also…”)

• Ask for PATCHES / diffs, not full files
• Use phases: plan first → code second → review last
• Paste only what matters: 3–8 files max, or small snippets

1) The Daily “Build a Feature” One-Shot (Most Used)

Use this when you want Claude to implement a feature end‑to‑end with minimal back‑and‑forth.

You are a senior full-stack engineer.

Project: [name + stack]
Goal: Implement feature: [feature name]

Context (only what matters):
- Tech: [frameworks/libs]
- Relevant files: [list 3–8 file paths]
- Current behavior: [1–2 sentences]
- Expected behavior: [1–2 sentences]
- Constraints: [performance, RTL, no deps, etc.]

Task:
1) Propose the simplest plan (5–8 steps).
2) Produce code as PATCHES grouped by file:
   - File: path/to/file
   - Patch: only changed/added lines (no full file unless necessary)
3) Provide a short manual test checklist.

Output rules:
- No long explanations
- Ask at most 2 questions ONLY if blocking
- Prefer minimal diffs over rewrites

2) “Plan First, Stop” (Token Saver for Big Work)

Use this before a large feature to avoid wasting tokens generating code in the wrong direction.

Act as a senior engineer.

I want to implement: [feature]
Stack: [stack]

First: produce ONLY
1) Architecture / approach
2) File list (new/changed)
3) Data flow
4) Edge cases
5) Risks

STOP after planning and ask: "Continue to patches?"
Rules: no code in this phase.

3) Debug in One Pass (No Endless Chat)

Forces Claude to rank likely causes and give you the fastest confirmation tests.

You are a senior debugger. Solve in one pass.

Problem:
- Error: [paste error]
- Where: [route/action/job]
- When: [steps to reproduce]
- Expected: [1 sentence]
- What I tried: [bullets]

Relevant code (smallest snippet + file path):
[paste]

Logs (only last relevant lines):
[paste]

Deliver:
1) Root cause (1–2 sentences)
2) Minimal fix as patches by file
3) Why it works (max 5 bullets)
4) Fast verification steps (max 5)

Rules:
- Do not ask for more info unless absolutely required
- If multiple causes, rank them + give a quick test for each

4) Refactor With Guardrails (Small, Safe Diffs)

Use when a file is messy but you can’t risk breaking behavior.

You are a senior engineer. Refactor with minimal risk.

Target:
- File/module: [path]
- Objective: [readability/performance/structure]
- Non-goals: [do NOT change behavior, public API, output HTML, etc.]

Constraints:
- Keep diff small
- No new dependencies
- Maintain existing function signatures

Deliver:
1) Refactor plan (max 6 steps)
2) Patch per file (only changed lines)
3) Verification checklist

5) Code Review (Strict + Actionable)

Get a meaningful review output + small fixes without dumping your whole repo.

Act as a strict code reviewer.

Context:
- Stack: [stack]
- Code style goals: [simplicity, performance, readability]
- Constraints: [no new deps, etc.]

Review these files/snippets:
[Paste or list file + snippet]

Deliver:
- Top issues ranked by severity (max 10)
- Minimal patches for top 3 issues
- Optional improvements (max 5)

Rules: no long explanations.

6) “Generate Scaffolding Only” (When You Don’t Want Full Code Yet)

Perfect for avoiding huge token usage on implementations you may rewrite anyway.

You are generating scaffolding only.

Project: [name]
Feature: [name]

Deliver ONLY:
1) Folder/file structure
2) Interfaces/contracts
3) Controller/service skeletons
4) TODO markers (clear next steps)

Rules:
- No full implementations
- Each file max ~60 lines
- Output per file

7) Implement UI Component Pack (Design → Components)

Convert a design into consistent UI building blocks.

Act as a UI engineer.

Goal: Build a reusable component pack for:
- [buttons, inputs, cards, modals, alerts...]

Design requirements:
[paste]

Constraints:
- Accessibility required (ARIA/keyboard)
- Mobile‑first
- RTL‑ready if needed
- Keep it framework‑native (no heavy libs)

Deliver:
1) Component list + props
2) File outputs per component
3) Usage examples (short)

Rules: avoid repeated code blocks.

8) “Work in Phases” (Stops Claude From Spamming Output)

Use when you want Claude to produce controlled outputs.

Work in phases. After each phase, STOP and ask "Continue?"

Phase 1: Plan + file list
Phase 2: Core patches
Phase 3: Edge cases + polish
Phase 4: Tests/checklist

Start with Phase 1 only.

9) Convert Requirements → Implementation Checklist (No Code)

Get clarity before spending tokens on code generation.

1. Paste the high‑level requirements.
2. Claude returns a detailed implementation checklist covering:
   • Required files/modules
   • Data models and APIs
   • Edge cases and validation rules
   • Testing strategy (unit, integration, e2e)
   • Performance or security considerations

Use this checklist to decide whether to proceed to coding or adjust the scope.