Prompts for Gemini: specify goal + format, iterate

Practical Gemini prompt templates focused on format, constraints, and iteration loops.

Last updated: November 9, 2026 · Markdown version

What changes with this model

Even if prompt structure is similar, each model has biases: some follow strict instructions better, some are more creative, and some need examples. These templates are designed to reduce ambiguity and improve consistency.

Recommendation: define output format (ideally with a checklist), add constraints, and if you need precision, use few-shot or require strict JSON.

Strict JSON Few-shot Hallucinations

Current models Promptea supports

Data taken from each provider’s official documentation; every entry shows the date it was last verified.

Gemini 3.8 Flash

default

Google's most intelligent Flash (GA Sep 2026), for long-horizon software engineering, autonomous agents, and complex enterprise workflows. Defaults to terse answers; ask for detail when you need it.

Context window: 1.05M tokens
Max output: 66K tokens
Input / output: text, image, audio, video, pdf / text
Latency: fast
Structured output: yes
Tool use / native search: yes / yes

How to prompt it: For long inputs put context first and the instruction last, with one consistent delimiter style. thinking_level defaults to medium (low, medium, or high; minimal is unavailable) and sampling parameters are deprecated — don't send them. It is terse by default, so ask for detail explicitly.

Verified on September 24, 2026 · official source

Gemini 3.7 Flash

Previous-generation Flash (GA Aug 2026) for complex coding and agentic workflows. Same 1M context and full multimodality.

Context window: 1.05M tokens
Max output: 66K tokens
Input / output: text, image, audio, video, pdf / text
Latency: fast
Structured output: yes
Tool use / native search: yes / yes

How to prompt it: Context first and instructions last for long inputs, with consistent delimiters. thinking_level defaults to medium (low, medium, or high); ask explicitly for detailed prose because it is terse by default.

Verified on September 24, 2026 · official source

Gemini 3.6 Flash

GA Flash (Jul 2026) balancing speed and multimodality for general agentic tasks. Defaults to terse answers; ask for detail when you need it.

Context window: 1.05M tokens
Max output: 66K tokens
Input / output: text, image, audio, video, pdf / text
Latency: fast
Structured output: yes
Tool use / native search: yes / yes

How to prompt it: Place context first and instructions at the end for long inputs, using one consistent delimiter style. Control depth with thinking_level (default medium; minimal is available); it is terse by default, so ask explicitly for detailed prose.

Verified on September 24, 2026 · official source

Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite

The fastest, lowest-cost 3.5 model. Google recommends it (alongside 3.8 Flash) for new high-volume work such as data extraction and subagents.

Context window: 1.05M tokens
Max output: 66K tokens
Input / output: text, image, audio, video, pdf / text
Latency: fast
Structured output: yes
Tool use / native search: yes / yes

How to prompt it: Keep prompts compact with explicit instructions and an exact output format or schema; raise thinking_level from the minimal default when a task needs multi-step logic, and add one short example of the expected result.

Verified on September 24, 2026 · official source

Gemini 3.1 Pro

preview

Advanced intelligence for complex problem-solving (still in preview; there is no newer Pro). Ask it to state assumptions and use a visible format.

Context window: 1.05M tokens
Max output: 66K tokens
Input / output: text, image, audio, video, pdf / text
Latency: slower (deliberate)
Structured output: yes
Tool use / native search: yes / yes

How to prompt it: Ask it to state assumptions on complex problems; thinking_level defaults to high (low, medium, or high). Context first, instructions last for long inputs, with consistent delimiters.

Verified on September 24, 2026 · official source

Quick tips

State the goal and the output format up front.
Use examples when you need strict structure.
Tell it what to do when uncertain (ask questions / say 'unknown').

Templates

Strict JSON extraction

Return ONLY JSON.
Schema: {"items":[{"name":"string","value":"number|null"}]}
Text:
"""[paste]"""

Opens the analyzer with the prompt prefilled.

Open in Promptea

Compare options table

Compare these options: [A, B, C]
Output as a table with columns: Option | Pros | Cons | Risks | Best for.

Opens the analyzer with the prompt prefilled.

Open in Promptea

FAQ

How do I avoid verbose outputs?

Set a max length (e.g., '<= 120 words') or fixed number of bullets/rows.