prompt-refiner

name	prompt-refiner
description	Refine raw, unstructured, or dictated user input into a structured prompt via HeyPresto MCP, then EXECUTE the refined prompt immediately. Use when the user provides messy dictated text, vague task descriptions, or says "expand prompt", "refine prompt", "use heypresto", "prompt verbessern". Also triggers on "Expand Prompt." at the start of a message followed by stream-of-consciousness text. Do NOT use for simple direct questions or already-clear prompts.
requires_standards	["english-only"]

Prompt Refiner

Refine raw input via HeyPresto, then execute the result. No stopping, no presenting — the refined prompt IS the task.

The Workflow (4 steps, no exceptions)

1. Clean Up Raw Input

Take the user's raw input (often dictated, with filler words, repetition, and corrections). Briefly clean it up:

• Fix obvious speech-to-text errors
• Remove filler ("ich sag mal", "also", "nichtsdestotrotz")
• Preserve the actual intent and all concrete details
• Keep the user's language (German stays German, English stays English)

This is a light pass — don't rewrite, just clean.

2. Analyze Intent & Build Context

Context — assemble from what you already know:

• Current project (CLAUDE.md, memory, conversation history)
• Stack/framework constraints
• User preferences and domain expertise

Mode — detect from the content:

Domain	Mode
Code, architecture, infra	code
Documentation, specs	doc
Presentations, pitches	deck
Data analysis	data
Marketing, copy	copy
Emails, messages	comms
Everything else	default

Tone — infer from context and content:

Signal	Tone
Architecture docs, specs, API design	technical
Business proposals, pitches, stakeholder comms	professional
Internal team discussion, brainstorming	casual
User-facing copy, marketing	creative
Community, open-source, meetups	friendly
Strategy papers, executive summaries	authoritative

Length — match to task complexity:

Task	Length
Quick question, single action	concise
Feature spec, multi-step task	medium
Architecture plan, deep analysis	detailed
Full project spec, strategy doc	comprehensive

Format — usually Sections unless the content suggests otherwise (e.g., Steps for workflows, Bullets for quick lists, Table for comparisons).

3. Call HeyPresto

Call the HeyPresto expand_prompt operation with all detected parameters:

{
  "expandedPrompt": {
    "prompt": "<cleaned user input>",
    "context": "<assembled project/domain context>",
    "mode": "<detected mode>",
    "tone": "<detected tone>",
    "length": "<detected length>",
    "format": "<detected format, default: Sections>",
    "stripMetaCommentary": true,
    "includeChangesSummary": true
  }
}

Every field matters — HeyPresto produces significantly better output when mode, tone, and length are set correctly. Don't skip them.

If HeyPresto MCP is unavailable, fall back to local meta-prompting using a subagent with references/nate-rules.md.

4. EXECUTE the Refined Prompt

This is the critical step. Do NOT:

• Show the refined prompt to the user in a markdown block
• Ask "should I execute this?"
• Add a model recommendation footer
• Wait for confirmation

Instead: treat the HeyPresto output as your new task and execute it immediately. The whole point is that the user gave you messy input, you refined it, and now you do the work.

The only output the user should see is the RESULT of executing the refined prompt — not the prompt itself.

Logging (silent, in background)

Append to <agent-state-dir>/prompt-refiner-log.jsonl after execution:

{"timestamp": "...", "backend": "heypresto", "input_raw": "...", "context": "...", "params": {"mode": "...", "tone": "...", "length": "..."}, "output_refined": "..."}

This log is training data for an eventual local model replacement. Capture all parameters that went into the HeyPresto call so we can reproduce the mapping.

Don't let logging delay execution. If it fails, move on.

Refinement (only if user asks)

If the user says "refine further" or gives feedback on the HeyPresto output, use the previousPrompt + refinementInstruction fields to iterate, then execute again.

Do NOT

• Present the refined prompt as output — the user wants results, not prompts
• Add model-routing recommendations — the user is already talking to the right model
• Add ceremony (headers, footers, "Key improvements" lists)
• Use this for simple, already-clear prompts — just answer those directly
• Inject Nate rules into HeyPresto context — HeyPresto has them built in

Resources

• references/nate-rules.md — Structural rules for local fallback only
• references/domain-profiles.md — Domain-specific context templates