ChatGPT Prompt Engineering for Developers
July 2023
Introduction
Base LLM - predict next word. May answer a question with a question
Instruction Tuned LLM - Answer questions
First train Base LLM, then instruction tuned, then RLHF
If fails may need to give better instructions e.g. what output, whay prose, what training data matches expected output.
Guidelines
import openai
import os
from dotenv import load_dotenv, find_dotenv
_ = load_dotenv(find_dotenv())
openai.api_key = os.getenv('OPENAI_API_KEY')
Yoy want to use \n for new line in text instead of \ as results may differ.
def get_completion(prompt, model="gpt-3.5-turbo"):
messages = [{"role": "user", "content": prompt}]
response = openai.ChatCompletion.create(
model=model,
messages=messages,
temperature=0, # this is the degree of randomness of the model's output
)
return response.choices[0].message["content"]
Write clear and specific instructions. Longer provides more clarity
Use delimiters e.g. ``` and \ - help avoid prompt injection.
text = f"""
You should express what you want a model to do by \
providing instructions that are as clear and \
specific as you can possibly make them. \
This will guide the model towards the desired output, \
and reduce the chances of receiving irrelevant \
or incorrect responses. Don't confuse writing a \
clear prompt with writing a short prompt. \
In many cases, longer prompts provide more clarity \
and context for the model, which can lead to \
more detailed and relevant outputs.
"""
prompt = f"""
Summarize the text delimited by triple backticks \
into a single sentence.
```{text}```
"""
response = get_completion(prompt)
print(response)
Ask for structured output e.g. JSON
prompt = f"""
Generate a list of three made-up book titles along \
with their authors and genres.
Provide them in JSON format with the following keys:
book_id, title, author, genre.
"""
response = get_completion(prompt)
print(response)
Check whether conditions are satisfied. e.g. can output no instructions provided
text_1 = f"""
Making a cup of tea is easy! First, you need to get some \
water boiling. While that's happening, \
grab a cup and put a tea bag in it. Once the water is \
hot enough, just pour it over the tea bag. \
Let it sit for a bit so the tea can steep. After a \
few minutes, take out the tea bag. If you \
like, you can add some sugar or milk to taste. \
And that's it! You've got yourself a delicious \
cup of tea to enjoy.
"""
prompt = f"""
You will be provided with text delimited by triple quotes.
If it contains a sequence of instructions, \
re-write those instructions in the following format:
Step 1 - ...
Step 2 - …
…
Step N - …
If the text does not contain a sequence of instructions, \
then simply write \"No steps provided.\"
\"\"\"{text_1}\"\"\"
"""
response = get_completion(prompt)
print("Completion for Text 1:")
print(response)
text_2 = f"""
The sun is shining brightly today, and the birds are \
singing. It's a beautiful day to go for a \
walk in the park. The flowers are blooming, and the \
trees are swaying gently in the breeze. People \
are out and about, enjoying the lovely weather. \
Some are having picnics, while others are playing \
games or simply relaxing on the grass. It's a \
perfect day to spend time outdoors and appreciate the \
beauty of nature.
"""
prompt = f"""
You will be provided with text delimited by triple quotes.
If it contains a sequence of instructions, \
re-write those instructions in the following format:
Step 1 - ...
Step 2 - …
…
Step N - …
If the text does not contain a sequence of instructions, \
then simply write \"No steps provided.\"
\"\"\"{text_2}\"\"\"
"""
response = get_completion(prompt)
print("Completion for Text 2:")
print(response)
Few-shot prompting - give examples before it does it. e.g. Q, A, Q, ?
prompt = f"""
Your task is to answer in a consistent style.
<child>: Teach me about patience.
<grandparent>: The river that carves the deepest \
valley flows from a modest spring; the \
grandest symphony originates from a single note; \
the most intricate tapestry begins with a solitary thread.
<child>: Teach me about resilience.
"""
response = get_completion(prompt)
print(response)
Give model time to think
text = f"""
In a charming village, siblings Jack and Jill set out on \
a quest to fetch water from a hilltop \
well. As they climbed, singing joyfully, misfortune \
struck—Jack tripped on a stone and tumbled \
down the hill, with Jill following suit. \
Though slightly battered, the pair returned home to \
comforting embraces. Despite the mishap, \
their adventurous spirits remained undimmed, and they \
continued exploring with delight.
"""
# example 1
prompt_1 = f"""
Perform the following actions:
1 - Summarize the following text delimited by triple \
backticks with 1 sentence.
2 - Translate the summary into French.
3 - List each name in the French summary.
4 - Output a json object that contains the following \
keys: french_summary, num_names.
Separate your answers with line breaks.
Text:
```{text}```
"""
response = get_completion(prompt_1)
print("Completion for prompt 1:")
print(response)
prompt_2 = f"""
Your task is to perform the following actions:
1 - Summarize the following text delimited by
<> with 1 sentence.
2 - Translate the summary into French.
3 - List each name in the French summary.
4 - Output a json object that contains the
following keys: french_summary, num_names.
Use the following format:
Text: <text to summarize>
Summary: <summary>
Translation: <summary translation>
Names: <list of names in Italian summary>
Output JSON: <json with summary and num_names>
Text: <{text}>
"""
response = get_completion(prompt_2)
print("\nCompletion for prompt 2:")
print(response)
Model to work out its own solutions before rushing to a conclusion e.g. longer prompts and do a calculation itself.
prompt = f"""
Determine if the student's solution is correct or not.
Question:
I'm building a solar power installation and I need \
help working out the financials.
- Land costs $100 / square foot
- I can buy solar panels for $250 / square foot
- I negotiated a contract for maintenance that will cost \
me a flat $100k per year, and an additional $10 / square \
foot
What is the total cost for the first year of operations
as a function of the number of square feet.
Student's Solution:
Let x be the size of the installation in square feet.
Costs:
1. Land cost: 100x
2. Solar panel cost: 250x
3. Maintenance cost: 100,000 + 100x
Total cost: 100x + 250x + 100,000 + 100x = 450x + 100,000
"""
response = get_completion(prompt)
print(response)
prompt = f"""
Your task is to determine if the student's solution \
is correct or not.
To solve the problem do the following:
- First, work out your own solution to the problem.
- Then compare your solution to the student's solution \
and evaluate if the student's solution is correct or not.
Don't decide if the student's solution is correct until
you have done the problem yourself.
Use the following format:
Question:
```
question here
```
Student's solution:
```
student's solution here
```
Actual solution:
```
steps to work out the solution and your solution here
```
Is the student's solution the same as actual solution \
just calculated:
```
yes or no
```
Student grade:
```
correct or incorrect
```
Question:
```
I'm building a solar power installation and I need help \
working out the financials.
- Land costs $100 / square foot
- I can buy solar panels for $250 / square foot
- I negotiated a contract for maintenance that will cost \
me a flat $100k per year, and an additional $10 / square \
foot
What is the total cost for the first year of operations \
as a function of the number of square feet.
```
Student's solution:
```
Let x be the size of the installation in square feet.
Costs:
1. Land cost: 100x
2. Solar panel cost: 250x
3. Maintenance cost: 100,000 + 100x
Total cost: 100x + 250x + 100,000 + 100x = 450x + 100,000
```
Actual solution:
"""
response = get_completion(prompt)
print(response)
Limitations - hallucinations. Reduce them by first find relevant information then answer the question
prompt = f"""
Tell me about AeroGlide UltraSlim Smart Toothbrush by Boie
"""
response = get_completion(prompt)
print(response)
Iterative
Issue 1: the text is too long
prompt = f"""
Your task is to help a marketing team create a
description for a retail website of a product based
on a technical fact sheet.
Write a product description based on the information
provided in the technical specifications delimited by
triple backticks.
Use at most 50 words.
Technical specifications: ```{fact_sheet_chair}```
"""
response = get_completion(prompt)
print(response)
Issue 2: text focuses on the wrong detail
prompt = f"""
Your task is to help a marketing team create a
description for a retail website of a product based
on a technical fact sheet.
Write a product description based on the information
provided in the technical specifications delimited by
triple backticks.
The description is intended for furniture retailers,
so should be technical in nature and focus on the
materials the product is constructed from.
At the end of the description, include every 7-character
Product ID in the technical specification.
Use at most 50 words.
Technical specifications: ```{fact_sheet_chair}```
"""
response = get_completion(prompt)
print(response)
Issue 3: Description needs a table of dimension
prompt = f"""
...
After the description, include a table that gives the
product's dimensions. The table should have two columns.
In the first column include the name of the dimension.
In the second column include the measurements in inches only.
Give the table the title 'Product Dimensions'.
Format everything as HTML that can be used in a website.
Place the description in a <div> element.
"""
response = get_completion(prompt)
print(response)
from IPython.display import display, HTML
display(HTML(response))