---
title: "Prompts"
sidebarTitle: "Prompts"
description: "Define prompt templates as code, version them on deploy, and override from the dashboard without redeploying."
---

import RcBanner from "/snippets/ai-chat-rc-banner.mdx";

<RcBanner />

## Overview

AI Prompts let you define prompt templates in your codebase alongside your tasks. When you deploy, Trigger.dev automatically versions your prompts. You can then:

- View all prompt versions in the dashboard
- Create **overrides** to change the prompt text or model without redeploying
- Track every generation that used each prompt version
- See token usage, cost, and latency metrics per prompt
- Manage prompts programmatically via SDK methods

## Defining a prompt

Use `prompts.define()` to create a prompt with typed variables:

```ts
import { prompts } from "@trigger.dev/sdk";
import { z } from "zod";

export const supportPrompt = prompts.define({
  id: "customer-support",
  description: "System prompt for customer support interactions",
  model: "gpt-4o",
  config: { temperature: 0.7 },
  variables: z.object({
    customerName: z.string(),
    plan: z.string(),
    issue: z.string(),
  }),
  content: `You are a support agent for Acme SaaS.

## Customer context

- **Name:** {{customerName}}
- **Plan:** {{plan}}
- **Issue:** {{issue}}

Respond to the customer's issue. Be concise and helpful.`,
});
```

### Options

| Option | Type | Required | Description |
|--------|------|----------|-------------|
| `id` | `string` | Yes | Unique identifier (becomes the prompt slug) |
| `description` | `string` | No | Shown in the dashboard |
| `model` | `string` | No | Default model (e.g. `"gpt-4o"`, `"claude-sonnet-4-6"`) |
| `config` | `object` | No | Default config (temperature, maxTokens, etc.) |
| `variables` | Zod/ArkType schema | No | Schema for template variables (enables validation and dashboard UI) |
| `content` | `string` | Yes | The prompt template with `{{variable}}` placeholders |

### Template syntax

Templates use Mustache-style placeholders:

- `{{variableName}}` — replaced with the variable value
- `{{#conditionalVar}}...{{/conditionalVar}}` — content only included if the variable is truthy

```ts
export const prompt = prompts.define({
  id: "summarizer",
  model: "gpt-4o-mini",
  variables: z.object({
    text: z.string(),
    maxSentences: z.string().optional(),
  }),
  content: `Summarize the following text{{#maxSentences}} in {{maxSentences}} sentences or fewer{{/maxSentences}}:

{{text}}`,
});
```

## Resolving a prompt

### Via prompt handle

Call `.resolve()` on the handle returned by `define()`:

```ts
const resolved = await supportPrompt.resolve({
  customerName: "Alice",
  plan: "Pro",
  issue: "Cannot access billing dashboard",
});

console.log(resolved.text);    // The compiled prompt with variables filled in
console.log(resolved.version); // e.g. 3
console.log(resolved.model);   // "gpt-4o"
console.log(resolved.labels);  // ["current"] or ["override"]
```

### Via standalone prompts.resolve()

Resolve any prompt by slug without needing a handle. Pass the prompt handle as a type parameter for full type safety:

```ts
import { prompts } from "@trigger.dev/sdk";
import type { supportPrompt } from "./prompts";

// Fully typesafe — ID and variables are checked at compile time
const resolved = await prompts.resolve<typeof supportPrompt>("customer-support", {
  customerName: "Alice",
  plan: "Pro",
  issue: "Cannot access billing dashboard",
});
```

Without the generic, the function still works but accepts any string slug and `Record<string, unknown>` variables.

### Resolve options

You can resolve a specific version or label:

```ts
// Resolve a specific version
const v2 = await supportPrompt.resolve(variables, { version: 2 });

// Resolve by label
const current = await supportPrompt.resolve(variables, { label: "current" });
```

By default, `resolve()` returns the **override** version if one is active, otherwise the **current** (latest deployed) version.

<Note>
  Both `promptHandle.resolve()` and `prompts.resolve()` call the Trigger.dev API when a client is configured. During local dev with `trigger dev`, this means you'll always get the server version (including overrides).
</Note>

## Using with the AI SDK

The resolved prompt integrates with the [Vercel AI SDK](https://ai-sdk.dev) via `toAISDKTelemetry()`. This links AI generation spans to the prompt in the dashboard.

### generateText

```ts
import { task } from "@trigger.dev/sdk";
import { generateText, stepCountIs } from "ai";
import { anthropic } from "@ai-sdk/anthropic";

export const supportTask = task({
  id: "handle-support",
  run: async (payload) => {
    const resolved = await supportPrompt.resolve({
      customerName: payload.name,
      plan: payload.plan,
      issue: payload.issue,
    });

    const result = await generateText({
      model: openai(resolved.model ?? "gpt-4o"),
      system: resolved.text,
      prompt: payload.issue,
      ...resolved.toAISDKTelemetry(),
    });

    return { response: result.text };
  },
});
```

### streamText

```ts
import { streamText } from "ai";

export const streamTask = task({
  id: "stream-support",
  run: async (payload) => {
    const resolved = await supportPrompt.resolve({
      customerName: payload.name,
      plan: payload.plan,
      issue: payload.issue,
    });

    const result = streamText({
      model: openai(resolved.model ?? "gpt-4o"),
      system: resolved.text,
      prompt: payload.issue,
      ...resolved.toAISDKTelemetry(),
      stopWhen: stepCountIs(15),
    });

    let fullText = "";
    for await (const chunk of result.textStream) {
      fullText += chunk;
    }

    return { response: fullText };
  },
});
```

### Custom telemetry metadata

Pass additional metadata to `toAISDKTelemetry()` that will appear on the generation span:

```ts
const result = await generateText({
  model: anthropic("claude-sonnet-4-5"),
  prompt: resolved.text,
  ...resolved.toAISDKTelemetry({
    "task.type": "summarization",
    "customer.tier": "enterprise",
  }),
});
```

## Using with chat.agent()

Prompts integrate with `chat.agent()` via `chat.prompt` — a run-scoped store for the resolved prompt. Store a prompt once in a lifecycle hook, then access it anywhere during the run.

### chat.prompt.set() and chat.prompt()

```ts
import { chat } from "@trigger.dev/sdk/ai";
import { prompts } from "@trigger.dev/sdk";
import { streamText, createProviderRegistry } from "ai";
import { anthropic } from "@ai-sdk/anthropic";

const registry = createProviderRegistry({ anthropic });

const systemPrompt = prompts.define({
  id: "my-chat-system",
  model: "anthropic:claude-sonnet-4-5",
  config: { temperature: 0.7 },
  variables: z.object({ name: z.string() }),
  content: `You are a helpful assistant for {{name}}.`,
});

export const myChat = chat.agent({
  id: "my-chat",
  onChatStart: async ({ clientData }) => {
    const resolved = await systemPrompt.resolve({ name: clientData.name });
    chat.prompt.set(resolved);
  },
  run: async ({ messages, signal }) => {
    return streamText({
      ...chat.toStreamTextOptions({ registry }),
      messages,
      abortSignal: signal,
      stopWhen: stepCountIs(15),
    });
  },
});
```

### chat.toStreamTextOptions()

Returns an options object ready to spread into `streamText()`. When a prompt is stored via `chat.prompt.set()`, it includes:

- `system` — the compiled prompt text
- `model` — resolved via the `registry` when provided
- `temperature`, `maxTokens`, etc. — from the prompt's `config`
- `experimental_telemetry` — links generations to the prompt in the dashboard

```ts
// With registry — model is resolved automatically
const options = chat.toStreamTextOptions({ registry });
// { system: "...", model: LanguageModel, temperature: 0.7, experimental_telemetry: { ... } }

// Without registry — model is not included
const options = chat.toStreamTextOptions();
// { system: "...", temperature: 0.7, experimental_telemetry: { ... } }
```

<Tip>
  When the user provides a `registry` and the prompt has a `model` string (e.g. `"anthropic:claude-sonnet-4-5"`), the model is resolved via `registry.languageModel()` and included in the returned options. This means `streamText` uses the prompt's model by default — no manual model selection needed.
</Tip>

### Reading the prompt

Access the stored prompt from anywhere in the run:

```ts
run: async ({ messages, signal }) => {
  const prompt = chat.prompt(); // Throws if not set
  console.log(prompt.text);     // The compiled prompt
  console.log(prompt.model);    // "anthropic:claude-sonnet-4-5"
  console.log(prompt.version);  // 3

  return streamText({
    ...chat.toStreamTextOptions({ registry }),
    messages,
    abortSignal: signal,
    stopWhen: stepCountIs(15),
  });
},
```

You can also set a plain string if you don't need the full prompt system:

```ts
chat.prompt.set("You are a helpful assistant.");
```

## Prompt management SDK

The `prompts` namespace includes methods for managing prompts programmatically. These work both inside tasks and outside (e.g. scripts, API handlers) as long as an API client is configured.

### List prompts

```ts
const allPrompts = await prompts.list();
```

### List versions

```ts
const versions = await prompts.versions("customer-support");
```

### Create an override

Create a new override that takes priority over the deployed version:

```ts
const result = await prompts.createOverride("customer-support", {
  textContent: "New prompt template: Hello {{customerName}}!",
  model: "gpt-4o-mini",
  commitMessage: "Shorter prompt",
});
```

### Update an override

```ts
await prompts.updateOverride("customer-support", {
  textContent: "Updated template: Hi {{customerName}}!",
  model: "gpt-4o",
});
```

### Remove an override

Remove the active override, reverting to the deployed version:

```ts
await prompts.removeOverride("customer-support");
```

### Promote a version

```ts
await prompts.promote("customer-support", 2);
```

### All management methods

| Method | Description |
|--------|-------------|
| `prompts.list()` | List all prompts in the current environment |
| `prompts.versions(slug)` | List all versions for a prompt |
| `prompts.resolve(slug, variables?, options?)` | Resolve a prompt by slug |
| `prompts.promote(slug, version)` | Promote a version to current |
| `prompts.createOverride(slug, body)` | Create an override |
| `prompts.updateOverride(slug, body)` | Update the active override |
| `prompts.removeOverride(slug)` | Remove the active override |
| `prompts.reactivateOverride(slug, version)` | Reactivate a removed override |

## Overrides

Overrides let you change a prompt's template or model from the dashboard or SDK without redeploying your code. When an override is active, `resolve()` returns the override version instead of the deployed version.

### How overrides work

- Overrides take priority over the deployed ("current") version
- Only one override can be active at a time
- Creating a new override replaces the previous one
- Removing an override reverts to the deployed version
- Overrides are environment-scoped (dev, staging, production are independent)

### Creating an override (dashboard)

1. Go to the prompt detail page
2. Click **Create Override**
3. Edit the template text and/or model
4. Add an optional commit message
5. Click **Create override**

### Version resolution order

When `resolve()` is called, versions are resolved in this order:

1. **Specific version** — if `{ version: N }` is passed
2. **Override** — if an override is active in this environment
3. **Label** — if `{ label: "..." }` is passed (defaults to `"current"`)
4. **Current** — the latest deployed version with the "current" label

## Dashboard

### Prompts list

The prompts list page shows all prompts in the current environment with the current or override version, default model, and a usage sparkline.

### Prompt detail

Click a prompt to see:

- **Template panel** — the prompt template for the selected version
- **Details tab** — slug, description, model, config, source file, and variable schema
- **Versions tab** — all versions with labels, source, and commit messages
- **Generations tab** — every AI generation that used this prompt, with live polling
- **Metrics tab** — token usage, cost, and latency charts

### AI span inspectors

When you use `toAISDKTelemetry()`, AI generation spans in the run trace get a custom inspector showing:

- **Overview** — model, provider, token usage, cost, input/output preview
- **Messages** — the full message thread
- **Tools** — tool definitions and tool call details
- **Prompt** — the linked prompt's metadata, input variables, and template content

## Type utilities

```ts
import type { PromptHandle, PromptIdentifier, PromptVariables } from "@trigger.dev/sdk";

type Id = PromptIdentifier<typeof supportPrompt>;   // "customer-support"
type Vars = PromptVariables<typeof supportPrompt>;   // { customerName: string; plan: string; issue: string }
```
