Key point
The one idea
Weak prompt: “Fix my auth bug.” Strong prompt: “Read these files, explain the bug, suggest the smallest change, and list checks I should run.”
AI coding assistants work better when you give real project context. You still own the code and the final decision.
Why context matters
Copilot Chat can use extra context like your current file and chat history. That helps, but it does not know your full intent unless you say it.
Unclear prompts often produce code that looks correct but does not fit your app. In a hackathon, that wastes time during demo prep.