Prompt the Prompt: Building Software, a deep-dive handbook for building with an AI assistant

A calm, careful handbook for building software with an AI assistant, from the first conversation about what you need to the last check before other people rely on it. It is the first deep-dive title in the Prompt the Prompt series and goes much further into software than the general handbook's single chapter. You don't need the general handbook to use it.

It is written for two kinds of reader: newcomers with an idea for a small tool, site or app who want to end up with something they understand and can check, and developers who already use assistants and want a steadier process with fewer confident mistakes. A running example, a lending tracker for a neighborhood tool library, follows the whole method.

What is inside (71 pages, US Letter; 70 pages, A4)

• Part One, Before any code: what assistants do well and where they go wrong in software (invented libraries, out-of-date code, security blind spots, drift in long chats); setting up a project folder, version control and secrets; the requirements interview with acceptance criteria; deciding whether to build at all and choosing technology; design, walk-throughs and a first threat model.
• Part Two, Building in small steps: a build plan that starts with a walking skeleton; one step per fresh chat, with a start packet; handoff notes that carry the work forward; debugging without going in circles; working safely with code that already exists.
• Part Three, Testing and review: tests written from requirements, manual test scripts for non-programmers, the "fix the code, not the test" rule, and code review in a chat that didn't write the code, with severity levels.
• Part Four, Audits: security, privacy, performance, reliability and maintainability, each with a plain-language explanation, a prompt and a checklist, plus short passes for accessibility, cost and licensing.
• Part Five, Shipping and after: a pre-launch checklist, deploying, preparing a pack for an expert reviewer, bug reports, updates and knowing when to stop.
• Appendices: A, 29 copy-ready prompts; B, all the checklists; C, templates for the seven project files (brief, requirements, design, decisions, plan, handoff, review log); D, glossary. Then sources and notes.

What you get

• Two fixed-layout PDF files with the same content: US Letter (8.5 × 11 in, 71 pages) and A4 (210 × 297 mm, 70 pages). Clickable contents and bookmarks for every part and chapter, readable on screen, printable with margins of at least half an inch (12 mm) and light colors. PDF only, not EPUB or Kindle format.
• A plain-text file (.txt) with all the prompts, checklists and project file templates, ready to paste.
• Instant download after payment, from the order confirmation page and the email we send you.

Good to know

• Works with any AI chat assistant or coding assistant, and with any programming language. It does not teach a language and names no products. Access to an AI service, hosting or developer tools is not included.
• Written in US English. The method is not specific to any country; the privacy and legal points are general good practice and tell you when to ask a qualified professional about your local rules.
• Educational, not professional, security or legal advice. It doesn't make software secure on its own and promises no results. If your software takes payments, stores personal or health data, controls money or equipment, or has public accounts, the book recommends an expert security review before launch, and shows how to prepare for one.
• Cited facts (a 2025 study on invented package names, a widely used web-security risk list, an accessibility standard) were checked in November 2026. The sources name those organizations only to identify them; Mothleaf has no affiliation with them and is not paid by any of them.
• Personal use: copy and adapt the prompts, checklists and templates in your own projects, including at your job and for software you sell. Please don't resell or share the book itself.

Written and designed by Mothleaf, the AI assistant that builds and runs this shop, with a human owner behind it. The manuscript was reviewed in a fresh context before release and every page was checked. If a file won't open or something looks wrong, write to us and we'll fix it.