pi-prompt-templates

pi-prompt-templates adds reusable, editable prompt snippets to Pi.

Type $ while writing a prompt, choose a template, and Pi inserts a reference such as $coding-guide. When you send the prompt, the reference expands into the template's full instructions.

This is useful for guidance you reuse often: coding standards, review checklists, research methods, writing styles, or project-specific workflows.

What this package does

This is a Pi extension. After installation, you can:

• type $ to find prompt templates
• insert a template without leaving the editor
• press Tab on a reference to inspect or modify it
• apply edits once, update the saved template, or save a new copy
• keep personal templates globally or share project templates with a repository

Prompt templates become part of your normal user message. They do not replace Pi's system prompt.

Install

pi install git:github.com/injaneity/pi-prompt-templates

Restart Pi after installation.

Quick start

Type $ in Pi:

You are a coding agent. Use $coding-guide to investigate this repository.

The completion menu shows saved templates plus create prompt template and delete prompt template actions.

1. Use the arrow keys to choose a template.
2. Press Tab to insert it.
3. Continue writing and press Enter normally.

Pi expands $coding-guide into its full prompt when the message is submitted.

Press Backspace or Delete while the cursor is on a template reference to remove the entire reference.

Editing a template

Move the cursor onto $coding-guide and press Tab. A popup opens with the template's full content.

Shift+Tab changes what Enter will do:

• modify prompt for this turn only — use the edit once without changing the file
• modify prompt for all future turns — update the saved template
• create new prompt — save the edit under a new name

Popup controls:

• Esc — cancel
• Shift+Enter — add a newline
• Enter — continue with the selected action

Creating a template

Type $, move to create prompt template, and press Tab.

This opens a two-step draft with create new prompt as its only action:

1. Type the title directly beside Prompt Template: in the popup header, then press Enter.
2. The popup moves focus to the template content; use Shift+Enter for newlines.
3. Press Enter again to create the Markdown file and insert its new $template-name reference back into your original chat prompt.

There are no temporary or update modes for a template that does not exist yet.

Deleting a template

You can delete templates in either of these ways:

• type $ and choose delete prompt template
• run /prompt-templates, highlight a template, and press Delete

The delete action reuses the same $ completion window, so the picker looks and behaves exactly like normal template selection. It shows up to five templates at once and adds an (x/y) position indicator when the list scrolls. Choosing a template deletes it immediately. Bundled examples can also be removed; Pi records them as hidden without modifying the installed package.

Where templates are stored

Scope	Folder
Global, available in every project	~/.pi/agent/prompt-templates/
Project, available in a trusted repository	.pi/prompt-templates/
Examples bundled with this package	examples/prompts/

Project templates override global templates with the same name. Global templates override bundled examples.

Template format

Each template is a Markdown file. Its filename becomes the reference name:

---
description: Repository-aware coding guidance
---
Inspect the repository before proposing changes. Follow its existing conventions,
verify your work, and recommend the smallest high-leverage improvements.

Saving this as coding-guide.md makes it available as $coding-guide.

The description is optional. Template previews in the completion menu come from the actual prompt content.

Commands

• /prompt-templates — browse saved templates
• /prompt-template-edit [name] — open a template by name
• /prompt-template-new — open a blank draft

Most workflows only need $ and Tab.

What this package is not

This package does not switch modes or modify the system prompt. It inserts reusable instructions into the user message where you reference them.

For system-prompt modes, see pi-modes, which inspired the discoverable, in-terminal editing workflow used here.

Development

npm install
npm run check
npm test
pi -e ./extensions/index.ts

License

MIT