KERNEL — Logical structure (CTCF)

Distillation — one idea, in my words

Write the irreducible insight. 50–120 words.
State the claim/definition in one sentence first.
Remove source phrasing; keep mechanism or rule.
If you feel the need for “and,” split into another atom.

Use a fixed four-part scaffold: Context (inputs), Task (what to do), Constraints (bounds), Format (output spec). This converts messy intent into a typed contract the model can satisfy.

Why it matters – 1-3 bullets on utility, mechanism, implication.

What decision does this change?
What prediction does this enable?
What failure does this prevent?

Standardizes prompts across a team.
Makes failures diagnosable (which section broke?).
Pairs cleanly with programmatic prompting.

Links

Does this collide/agree with an existing atom?
Add at least one forward link to a molecule/canonical note.
Add one tag-like topic (2–5 terms, not a dump).

Broader topic: #interfaces
Related atoms: KERNEL — Easy to verify, KERNEL — Explicit constraints
Upstream source note:

Source excerpt (optional)

Paste exact quote or figure caption.

“Format every prompt: Context, Task, Constraints, Format.”

Citation block (optional)

Source: {{source}} • Page: {{page}} • Key: {{citekey}}

volodith. “After 1000 Hours of Prompt Engineering, I Found the 6 Patterns That Actually Matter.” Reddit, r/PromptEngineering, September 29, 2025. https://www.reddit.com/r/PromptEngineering/comments/1nt7x7v/after_1000_hours_of_prompt_engineering_i_found/.