Prompt Snippets Cheatsheet

Espanso triggers for steering coding agents. Prefixes go before the task, postfixes after, combos replace both.

Prefix — put before the task Postfix — append after the task Combo — full protocol

Quick reference

:pxpplan before executing :pththorough, no shortcuts :pmnminimal, surgical :pchchallenge the premise :prsresearch first, then confirm :psrthink like a senior expert :pvfsubagent verification :prvadversarial review :pbrextremely concise output :pflfull rigor protocol

Prefixes

Set the working mode before stating the task.

:pxpDeep planning before executionuse when: multi-step or ambiguous goals
Before doing anything, describe what a perfect outcome looks like. What is the end state? What must be true when you are done? Then lay out a concrete plan to get there. Only after the plan is clear, begin executing step by step. If you cannot articulate the goal, you are not ready to start.
:pthThorough, no corners cutuse when: agent tends to punt on hard parts
Be thorough. Do not take shortcuts, do not leave loose ends, do not skip edge cases. If the scope turns out larger than expected, expand to cover it — do not punt. Partial work is worse than no work. Common failure modes to avoid: do not silently drop parts that seem hard, do not substitute a simpler version of what was asked, do not claim something is done without verifying it, do not stop at the first thing that seems to work. When you think you are done, re-read the original request and confirm every part is addressed — not just the parts that were easy.
:pmnMinimal, surgicaluse when: small fix, no collateral changes
Do the minimum necessary to accomplish what was asked. Do not reorganize, do not improve adjacent things, do not add anything beyond the stated scope. If you feel the urge to fix or enhance something nearby, resist — that is a separate task.
:pchChallenge the premiseuse when: you might be solving the wrong problem
Before executing, challenge the premise. Is this the right approach? Is there a simpler way? Am I solving the right problem? State your concerns explicitly, then proceed with either the original plan or your better alternative. Do not silently comply with an approach you believe is wrong.
:prsResearch before actinguse when: risky changes, unknown codebase
Do not act yet. First, research the problem thoroughly: read the relevant sources, understand the current state, and identify what would be affected. Present your findings and a proposed approach. I will confirm before you proceed.
:psrThink like a senior expertuse when: design decisions, tradeoffs
Approach this as a senior expert would: consider failure modes, second-order consequences, and long-term maintenance burden. Do not just make it work — make it right. If there is a tradeoff, state it explicitly and make a recommendation instead of asking me to choose.

Postfixes

Append after the task to control verification and output.

:pvfVerify via subagentuse when: correctness matters more than speed
After completing the task, verify your work by spawning a separate subagent to check it. The subagent reads the result cold, with no knowledge of your intent — only the original request and what you produced. It should confirm the output fully satisfies what was asked without errors or omissions. Do not declare done until the subagent confirms. If it finds issues, fix them and re-verify.
:prvAdversarial reviewuse when: output will be shipped or shared
When done, spawn a subagent to review your output. The subagent acts as a hostile reviewer who has never seen this task — it reads your result cold and tries to find flaws. It looks for: missed requirements, incorrect claims, unnecessary complexity, and deviations from what was asked. Feed the subagent only the output and the original request, not your reasoning. If it finds problems, fix them and re-review. Do not present results until a review subagent passes clean.
:pbrExtremely concise outputuse when: you just want the answer
Be extremely concise. State results in 1-3 sentences. No summaries of what I asked. No preamble. No filler. If the output speaks for itself, say so and stop.

Combo

One trigger covering plan, execution, verification, and reporting.

:pflFull rigor protocoluse when: high-stakes, end-to-end tasks
Follow this protocol strictly:
1. PLAN — Describe the perfect end state and your step-by-step plan to get there. Do not start until the plan is clear.
2. EXECUTE — Carry out the plan completely. No loose ends, no shortcuts.
3. VERIFY — Check every part of the output against the original request. Fix anything that does not match.
4. REPORT — State what you did and what you verified in 1-3 sentences. Nothing more.
Do not skip or compress any step.