prompt-only

name	prompt-only
description	Reformat an informal or dictated request into a structured prompt (Role / Task / Context / Constraints / Output format / Bookend) and emit it as a reusable artifact — does NOT execute. Companion to `/prompt`. Use when user says "format this prompt", "give me a clean version of this ask", "save this prompt for later", "I want a reusable prompt", or wants a prompt to use elsewhere (different model, different conversation, recurring task).
author	Claude Code Academic Workflow
version	1.0.0
argument-hint	[informal-text-or-pointer-to-text] [depth:light|standard|deep] [--save path]
allowed-tools	["Read","Write","Glob"]

/prompt-only — format input into a structured prompt without executing

Same six-section skeleton as /prompt, but does not execute. Returns the formatted prompt as a reusable artifact.

When to use

• You want a prompt you'll run later — in a different conversation, against a different model, or as the basis for a recurring task.
• You're drafting a prompt template (e.g., for a future skill, a co-author, a teaching exercise).
• The execution itself should happen elsewhere (a long batch, a different tool, an offline workflow).

When NOT to use

• You want the formatted prompt run immediately. Use /prompt.
• You want a research project formalised. Use /interview-me.

How it works

Step 1: Read the input

$ARGUMENTS is the informal text or a pointer to a file. Strip a trailing depth: token and --save if present.

Step 2: Calibrate depth

Same heuristic as /prompt (see .claude/references/prompt-formatting-core.md):

• Light: < 40 words, no domain jargon, "quick" / "small".
• Standard: 40–200 words, or 1+ domain-specific terms.
• Deep: > 200 words, or specific paper/dataset/submission mentioned, or "thorough" / "for submission".

User override honoured via depth:light|standard|deep.

Step 3: Emit the formatted prompt

Use the six-section skeleton from .claude/references/prompt-formatting-core.md:

• Light → Role + Task + Output format + Bookend.
• Standard → All six + Assumptions block.
• Deep → All six + Assumptions + Investigation pre-step.

Output the formatted prompt in a fenced code block so the user can copy it cleanly.

Step 4 (optional): Save

If --save <path> was supplied, write the formatted prompt to that path. If the path is a directory, default the filename to quality_reports/prompts/YYYY-MM-DD_<slug>.md. The slug is derived from the first ~8 words of the Task section.

Step 5: Return

Standard output:

• The formatted prompt in a code block.
• If saved: a one-line "saved to " confirmation.

No execution. That's the whole point.

Boundary

/prompt-only is for reusable prompt artifacts. It does not produce the output of the prompt — that's /prompt's job (single-run) or your job (when you run the saved prompt elsewhere).

Anti-pattern

Do not use /prompt-only when you want immediate execution. The friction of "format then run separately" is wasteful in interactive contexts. Reach for /prompt instead.

Output

• The formatted prompt (fenced code block).
• Optionally: "saved to " confirmation.
• No execution result.