Prompt Chaining
Workflow
Level 3 · Agentic & compositeSplit a complex task into a sequence of simpler prompts, where each prompt's output feeds the next.
Prompt chaining breaks a complex task into a sequence of smaller, focused prompts run one after another, where the output of each step becomes part of the input to the next. Instead of asking one large prompt to research, summarize, analyze and format all at once, each step does one thing well — which is usually more reliable than asking a single prompt to do everything, and lets you inspect and fix each intermediate result before it feeds the next step. Unlike every other technique in this catalog, prompt chaining doesn't compile into a single ready-to-send prompt. It produces a short sequence of prompts (typically 2-3) that you run one at a time, copying the output of each step into the next before running it. Adapt the wording of each step to your specific task — this pattern is more of a structure to follow than a fixed template.
When to use it
Use it for tasks that naturally break into distinct stages (research → summarize → analyze → draft), for tasks longer or more complex than a single good prompt reliably handles, or when you want to review and correct an intermediate result before continuing.
When to avoid it
Avoid it for simple, self-contained tasks that a single well-structured prompt already handles reliably — splitting a simple task into steps only adds manual work.
Advantages
- Each step is simpler and more reliable than one prompt trying to do everything at once
- Lets you inspect and correct an intermediate result before it affects the next step
- Makes it easy to reuse individual steps across different tasks
Disadvantages
- Requires manually carrying the output from one step to the next — this technique doesn't yet automate the hand-off between steps
- More total turns and tokens than a single prompt
- An error in an early step propagates to every step after it if it isn't caught
Examples
Step 1 — Gather List the key facts about renewable energy adoption in Italy relevant to writing a short briefing for non-technical readers. [Run this first, then copy the result below] Step 2 — Process Using the facts below, organize them into 3-5 key points, removing anything not relevant to a non-technical audience: [paste the output of Step 1 here] Step 3 — Produce Using the key points above, write a short briefing for non-technical readers. [paste the output of Step 2 here]
Pairs well with
Try it
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What you want to achieve.
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- Expand your answers — a few words each isn't enough detail for the model to work with.
- Add background context so the model understands the situation.