Write Better Prompts, Use Fewer Tokens

When you're vibe coding every token counts. Not just for cost savings, but for speed and accuracy. The more tokens you use, the longer the AI takes to respond, and the more likely it is to lose context or make mistakes.

Here's how to write prompts that get you exactly what you need, using as few tokens as possible.

Why Token Optimization Matters

Speed: Fewer tokens mean faster responses. When you're iterating quickly, waiting 30 seconds vs 5 seconds makes a huge difference.

Accuracy: Shorter prompts with clear intent help the AI focus on what matters. Long, rambling prompts often lead to confusion.

Cost: If you're using paid AI services, token optimization directly saves money.

Context Window: You have limited context. Save tokens for the important stuff—your actual code and the specific changes you need.

The Golden Rules of Token-Efficient Prompting

1. Be Specific, Not Verbose

Bad ❌:

I want you to add a button to my page. The button should be in the center of the screen, and when I click it, it should do something cool. Make it look nice and modern. I want it to be purple or maybe blue, and it should have some hover effects. Also, make sure it's responsive so it works on mobile devices.

Good ✅:

Add a centered purple button with hover effects. On click, show an alert. Make it responsive.

Why it works: The AI doesn't need your thought process—it needs the requirements. Be direct.

2. Reference Existing Code, Don't Repeat It

Bad ❌:

Here's my HTML: [pastes entire 500-line file]. Now add a button after the header.

Good ✅:

Add a button after the header element (line 15).

Why it works: The AI already has your code in context. Just point to what needs to change.

3. Use Line Numbers and Specific Locations

Instead of describing where something is, use exact references:

Replace the color in the .button class (line 42) from blue to purple.

Add a new function after handleClick() (around line 120) that resets the form.

4. Chain Small Changes, Not Big Rewrites

Bad ❌:

Rewrite the entire styling system to use CSS variables and make everything responsive.

Good ✅:

Convert colors to CSS variables in :root (add after line 5).

Then, in the next prompt:

Make the header responsive (add media query after line 50).

Why it works: Small, focused changes are faster, more accurate, and use fewer tokens.

5. Remove Unnecessary Context

The AI doesn't need:

• Your project's backstory
• Why you're making this change
• Your future plans
• Apologies or politeness ("please", "if you could", "sorry to bother you")

Bad ❌:

Hey, I'm working on a project for my portfolio and I really need to add this feature because my client wants it. Could you please help me add a button? I'm sorry if this is a lot to ask.

Good ✅:

Add a button below the title.

Practical Examples

Example 1: Adding a Feature

Inefficient (150+ tokens):

I want to add a dark mode toggle to my website. The toggle should be in the top right corner of the navbar. When users click it, it should switch between light and dark themes. I want the dark theme to have a dark background (#1a1a1a) and light text (#ffffff). The toggle should be a nice switch component, not just a button. Also, I want to save the user's preference in localStorage so it persists when they come back.

Optimized (40 tokens):

Add dark mode toggle in navbar top-right. Toggle between #1a1a1a bg / #fff text and current theme. Save preference to localStorage.

Example 2: Fixing a Bug

Inefficient:

There's a bug where when I click the submit button, nothing happens. I think the event listener might not be working. Can you check the JavaScript and fix it? The button has an id of "submit-btn" and it should call a function called handleSubmit when clicked.

Optimized:

Fix: #submit-btn click not calling handleSubmit(). Check event listener.

Example 3: Styling Changes

Inefficient:

I want to change the styling of my cards. Right now they have a white background and I want them to have a gradient background that goes from purple to blue. Also increase the border radius to make them more rounded, and add a subtle shadow. The cards are using the .card class.

Optimized:

Update .card: gradient bg (purple to blue), increase border-radius, add subtle shadow.

Advanced Token Optimization Techniques

1. Use Abbreviations (When Clear)

• "bg" instead of "background"
• "w/" instead of "with"
• "&" instead of "and"
• "→" instead of "then" or "which should"

2. Batch Related Changes

Instead of:

Change button color to purple.
Add hover effect to button.
Make button responsive.

Do:

Update button: purple color, hover effect, responsive.

3. Reference Previous Changes

Same as above, but for the footer button.

4. Use Code Patterns

Add similar validation to email field (like password field, lines 45-50).

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Including your entire codebase when you only need to change one function
2. Explaining what the code does - the AI can read it
3. Asking for multiple unrelated changes in one prompt
4. Including error messages without context about what you tried
5. Being vague - "make it better" uses tokens but provides no direction

Measuring Your Success

After optimizing your prompts, you should notice:

• Faster responses (fewer tokens = less processing time)
• More accurate results (clearer intent = better output)
• Lower costs (if using paid APIs)
• Better iteration speed (you can make more changes in less time)

The Bottom Line

Token optimization isn't about being stingy—it's about being efficient. When you write concise, specific prompts, you get:

• Faster AI responses
• More accurate code generation
• Better use of context window
• Lower costs (if applicable)
• Faster development cycles

Remember: The best prompt is the shortest one that clearly communicates what you need.

Practice Exercise

Try rewriting this prompt to use fewer tokens:

Original:

I'm building a todo app and I need to add functionality so that when a user types in the input field and presses enter, it should add a new todo item to the list. The todo item should have the text they typed, and it should appear at the top of the list. Each todo should have a checkbox that when checked, crosses out the text. Also, I want to be able to delete todos by clicking an X button next to each one.

Optimized version (try it yourself, then check below):

Add todo on Enter: text from input, prepend to list. Each todo: checkbox (strikethrough when checked), delete X button.

See the difference? Same requirements, ~70% fewer tokens.

---

Ready to optimize your vibe coding? Start with your next prompt. Challenge yourself to cut it in half while keeping all the essential information. You'll be surprised how much faster and more effective your AI interactions become.