Refine your prompt first
Before you send a prompt to Bilt, iterate on it with an AI chatbot such as ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, etc. Describe your app idea, ask for follow-up questions, and refine the feature list, user flows, and wording until it reads clearly. That does not consume Bilt tokens — so it is a free way to get better results from Bilt.Start with the big picture
Begin with a clear description of what the app does and who it’s for. Bilt uses this to make architecture and design decisions.Be specific about features
List the features you want. The more specific you are, the closer the result matches your vision.Describe the user experience
Tell Bilt what happens when someone uses the app. This helps it build the right navigation and flow.Specify design preferences
If you have a visual direction in mind, describe it. Otherwise, Bilt picks a clean default or design based on the app type. You can also attach a screenshot of a design you want to match.Iterate in small steps
Don’t try to build everything in one message. Start with the core flow, then add features incrementally.1
Core structure
“Build a meal planning app with a weekly calendar view and recipe detail screen”
2
Add features
“Add a grocery list that generates from selected recipes”
3
Refine design
“Change the color scheme to teal and white, add bottom tab navigation”
4
Connect data
“Add sign-in so users can save their meal plans and favorites”
Reference what exists
When iterating, reference specific screens or elements so Bilt knows what to change. Even better, attach a screenshot of the screen or element you want to change.Common prompt patterns
Starting a new app
Adding a feature
Fixing an issue
Changing design
Connecting a backend
What to avoid
- Don’t give conflicting instructions in the same message
- Don’t describe implementation details (specific code, file structures) unless you need a very specific approach — Bilt handles architecture decisions
- Don’t overload a single message — break complex features into steps