Master Constraint Prompts for Vibe Coding

The guardrail system that prevents AI coding disasters. Stop feature creep, endless refactoring, and broken production code by controlling AI behavior with proven constraint prompts.

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Table of Contents

• What Are Constraint Prompts

• The Four Core Constraint Prompts

• Anti-Loop & Anti-Drift Prompt

• Clarification-First Prompt

• Surgical Changes Prompt

• Combined Master Prompt

• How to Use These Prompts

• Framework-Specific Cursor Rules

• Universal Cursor Rules Template

• Expected Behavior Changes

• Common Scenarios Prevented

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What Are Constraint Prompts

Constraint prompts are guardrails that control AI behavior during coding sessions. Without constraints, AI coding assistants become “enthusiastic over-builders” that:

• Add features you didn’t ask for

• Refactor working code unnecessarily

• Create endless loops of improvements

• Break existing functionality while “helping”

• Continue working after the task is done

With constraint prompts, AI becomes a “focused implementer” that:

• Builds only what you requested

• Preserves existing functionality

• Asks clarifying questions first

• Stops when the requirement is met

• Makes minimal, surgical changes

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The Four Core Constraint Prompts