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Tutorial 2: Understanding Dynamic Prompts

In this tutorial, we'll explore what makes Orchestre's prompts "dynamic" and how they differ from traditional static approaches. You'll learn to leverage this power for more intelligent development workflows.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this tutorial, you'll understand:

  • ✅ Dynamic vs static prompt philosophy
  • ✅ How prompts discover and adapt
  • ✅ Context-aware command execution
  • ✅ Prompt composition techniques
  • ✅ The intelligence emergence pattern

Prerequisites

  • Completed "Your First Project" tutorial
  • Basic understanding of AI assistants
  • 45 minutes of time

What Are Dynamic Prompts?

Static Approach (Traditional)

bash
# Static template - always does the same thing
create-react-component Button --typescript --with-tests

Dynamic Approach (Orchestre)

bash
# Discovers context and adapts
/orchestre:execute-task (MCP) "Create a Button component"

The dynamic prompt:

  1. Discovers existing component patterns
  2. Adapts to your project's style
  3. Considers the current context
  4. Suggests appropriate implementations

Experiment 1: Context Discovery

Let's see dynamic prompts in action. In your task-api project:

bash
/orchestre:orchestrate (MCP) "Add user authentication to the API"

Observe the Analysis

Notice how Orchestre:

  • Recognizes you have a Cloudflare Workers project
  • Suggests edge-compatible authentication
  • Considers your existing API patterns
  • Proposes a plan that fits your architecture

The output adapts to what it discovered:

🎯 Orchestration Plan: Edge Authentication

## Context Discovery
- Project Type: Cloudflare Workers API
- Existing Pattern: RESTful endpoints
- Storage: In-memory (needs upgrade for auth)
- Framework: Hono with TypeScript

## Adaptive Recommendations
Since you're using Cloudflare Workers:
- JWT-based authentication (stateless)
- KV storage for refresh tokens
- Edge-compatible crypto libraries
- Middleware pattern for protection

Experiment 2: Adaptive Implementation

Now execute a task without being specific:

bash
/orchestre:execute-task (MCP) "Add a new feature for task categories"

Watch the Adaptation

Orchestre will:

  1. Examine your existing Task model
  2. Identify your API patterns
  3. Implement consistently with your style
  4. Update related endpoints automatically

Compare this to a static approach that would require:

  • Manually updating the model
  • Remembering to update each endpoint
  • Maintaining consistency yourself
  • Updating documentation

Experiment 3: Learning from Context

Add some custom code manually to your project:

typescript
// src/utils/custom-validator.ts
export function validateTaskTitle(title: string): boolean {
  return title.length >= 3 && title.length <= 100
}

Now ask Orchestre to add validation:

bash
/orchestre:execute-task (MCP) "Add validation for task descriptions"

See the Intelligence

Orchestre will:

  • Find your custom validator pattern
  • Create a similar validator for descriptions
  • Use the same style and location
  • Integrate it consistently

This is impossible with static templates!

Experiment 4: Prompt Composition

Dynamic prompts can be composed for complex tasks:

bash
/compose-prompt "I need to add real-time updates to tasks, but I'm not sure how to approach it with Cloudflare Workers"

Intelligent Response

The composed prompt will:

  • Research Cloudflare's real-time capabilities
  • Suggest WebSockets or Server-Sent Events
  • Consider Durable Objects for coordination
  • Provide a complete implementation strategy

Understanding the Magic

Discovery Phase

Every dynamic prompt starts with discovery:

Adaptation Mechanisms

  1. Pattern Recognition

    • Finds existing code patterns
    • Maintains consistency
    • Evolves with your project
  2. Context Integration

    • Reads CLAUDE.md files
    • Considers recent changes
    • Understands project goals
  3. Intelligent Defaults

    • Makes smart assumptions
    • Asks when uncertain
    • Learns from corrections

Practical Examples

Example 1: Feature Addition

bash
# Static way - rigid, predefined
rails generate scaffold Product name:string price:decimal

# Dynamic way - adaptive, intelligent
/orchestre:execute-task (MCP) "Add a products feature to my API"

The dynamic approach:

  • Matches your existing patterns
  • Uses your validation style
  • Integrates with your auth
  • Updates your documentation

Example 2: Refactoring

bash
# Static way - manual, error-prone
# Must update every file yourself

# Dynamic way - intelligent, thorough
/orchestre:execute-task (MCP) "Refactor task storage to use KV instead of memory"

The dynamic approach:

  • Identifies all storage touchpoints
  • Maintains API compatibility
  • Updates tests if present
  • Documents the migration

Example 3: Problem Solving

bash
# Static way - no help
# You're on your own

# Dynamic way - intelligent assistance
/orchestre:orchestrate (MCP) "My API is slow, help me optimize it"

The dynamic approach:

  • Analyzes your specific code
  • Identifies bottlenecks
  • Suggests targeted optimizations
  • Provides implementation guidance

Advanced Techniques

1. Contextual Hints

Provide context for better adaptation:

bash
/orchestre:execute-task (MCP) "Add caching (we expect high read traffic)"

2. Learning Loops

Let Orchestre learn from your project:

bash
/learn  # Extract patterns
/orchestre:execute-task (MCP) "Add another endpoint following our patterns"

3. Exploratory Prompts

Use uncertainty to your advantage:

bash
/orchestre:orchestrate (MCP) "What's the best way to add search functionality?"

4. Meta-Prompts

Create prompts that create prompts:

bash
/compose-prompt "Help me design a prompt for building a complex feature"

Common Patterns

The Discovery Pattern

bash
/orchestre:orchestrate (MCP) "Analyze my project and suggest improvements"

The Adaptive Pattern

bash
/orchestre:execute-task (MCP) "Add [feature] following existing patterns"

The Learning Pattern

bash
/learn
/orchestre:execute-task (MCP) "Apply these patterns to [new feature]"

The Composition Pattern

bash
/compose-prompt "Complex requirement with multiple concerns"

Practice Exercise

Try these experiments to deepen your understanding:

1. Pattern Evolution

bash
# Add a custom pattern
/orchestre:execute-task (MCP) "Create a custom error handler with logging"

# See it adapted
/orchestre:execute-task (MCP) "Add error handling to task deletion"

2. Context Building

bash
# Build context
/update-state "We're building this for a startup with 1000 users"

# See adapted suggestions
/orchestre:orchestrate (MCP) "How should we prepare for scale?"

3. Intelligent Refactoring

bash
# Let Orchestre analyze and improve
/suggest-improvements
/orchestre:execute-task (MCP) "Implement the top performance improvement"

Key Insights

1. Discovery Over Prescription

Dynamic prompts discover what you need rather than prescribing solutions.

2. Adaptation Over Rigidity

They adapt to your project rather than forcing you to adapt to them.

3. Intelligence Over Automation

They help you think better, not just execute faster.

4. Context Over Configuration

They understand context rather than requiring configuration.

Common Misconceptions

"It's Just Templates with Variables"

No! Dynamic prompts:

  • Analyze your entire project
  • Learn from your patterns
  • Adapt their behavior
  • Generate novel solutions

"It's Unpredictable"

Actually, dynamic prompts are:

  • Consistent with your patterns
  • Predictable in approach
  • Transparent in reasoning
  • Controllable through context

"It's Overkill for Simple Tasks"

Dynamic prompts shine when:

  • Projects evolve
  • Requirements change
  • Patterns emerge
  • Complexity grows

Troubleshooting

Prompts Not Adapting?

  • Check CLAUDE.md is updated
  • Use /learn to extract patterns
  • Provide more context in commands
  • Review project structure

Unexpected Behavior?

  • Use /status to check context
  • Run /orchestre:review (MCP) for analysis
  • Clear context with /update-state
  • Provide explicit hints

What You've Learned

✅ Dynamic prompts discover and adapt ✅ Context awareness drives intelligence ✅ Composition enables complex tasks ✅ Learning loops improve results ✅ Intelligence emerges from exploration

Next Steps

You now understand the core philosophy of dynamic prompts. This foundation will help you leverage Orchestre's full power.

Continue to: Working with Templates →

Explore further:

  • Try /compose-prompt with complex requirements
  • Experiment with /learn and pattern application
  • Use /interpret-state to understand context

Remember: Dynamic prompts are partners in thinking, not just tools for execution!

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