Prompt Engineering Guide: 2026 Edition (Steal My System)

Prompt Engineering Guide: 2026 Edition (Steal My System)
Want a single framework that works across ChatGPT (GPT-5/4.1), Claude 4, Google Gemini, Perplexity, and even reasoning models (O3 / O4-mini)? This episode distills hundreds of hours of testing + the latest docs into a reusable prompt engineering system you can apply to any large language model. We’ll cover the core template (Role → Task → Context → Examples → Output → Constraints → Instructions), then layer on advanced techniques like Chain of Verification (CoV) and Reverse Prompting, and finish with how context engineering (RAG, memory, connectors) complements great prompts.

What you will learn
- The 2026 Prompt Framework that travels cleanly across models (and what to tweak per model).
- Model-specific rules: when to add step-by-step guidance vs. when it hurts (reasoning models).
- Chain of Verification to reduce hallucinations and force evidence-backed answers.
- Reverse Prompting to let the model craft (and run) the optimal prompt for your goal.
- Context Engineering vs Prompt Engineering - how RAG, memory, and external data supercharge results.
- Per-model tips for GPT-5, GPT-4.1, Claude 4, Gemini 2.5, O3/O4-mini, Perplexity (search-centric).

Timestamps
00:00 Introduction
00:49 The Prompting Framework
09:35 Chain of Verification
10:50 Reverse Prompting
12:17 Prompt Engineering vs. Context Engineering

Key takeaways (cheat sheet)
- Standard models (GPT-5/4.1, Claude, Gemini): ask for step-by-step thinking, state uncertainty over guessing, use few-shot examples for tone/format.
- Reasoning models (O3/O4-mini): don’t force chain-of-thought; keep prompts lean; minimize context.
- Perplexity: treat as retrieval-augmented generation, avoid few-shot examples in the initial prompt; use CoV as a follow-up.
- Output control: specify format, length, and structure precisely (tables, sections, word counts).
- Constraints: crisp, measurable rules outperform vague ones.

Resources
- Framework Explanation
https://docs.google.com/document/d/12obzedWKGlsaHgwVDzwz_leA0PN-9e3F/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=118261041881417412634&rtpof=true&sd=true
- Plug-and-Play Framework
https://docs.google.com/document/d/13p5fhgdXARKF0ZL7EBq4N6ju_--0QnNrweg8KXVWxM0/edit?usp=sharing

Who this is for
Analysts, operators, PMs, consultants, and creators who want reliable, repeatable outputs—not one-off prompt hacks. Perfect if you’re comparing prompt engineering courses or want a faster path to learn prompt engineering in practice.

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