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Tips & Tricks

These tips will help you work more effectively with OneMillion Code.

Effective Prompting​

Be Specific About What You Want​

Instead of:

"Make a form"

Try:

"Create a contact form with name, email, and message fields. Add validation to require all fields. Style it with Tailwind CSS."

Explain the "Why"​

Instead of:

"Add a button"

Try:

"Add a 'Save Draft' button that stores the current form data in localStorage so users don't lose their work if they accidentally close the page."

Break Down Big Tasks​

Instead of:

"Build the entire checkout flow"

Try:

  1. "First, create the shopping cart display component"
  2. "Now add the ability to update quantities"
  3. "Next, create the checkout form"
  4. "Finally, integrate with Stripe"

Working With Code​

Ask 1M Code to Explain Its Changes​

After 1M Code writes code:

"Explain what you just wrote. I want to understand it."

Request Comments​

"Add comments to this code explaining what each section does."

Ask for Simpler Versions​

If the code looks complex:

"This seems complicated. Is there a simpler way to do this?"

Learn by Modifying​

"What if I wanted to change this to use a dropdown instead of radio buttons?"

Debugging Like a Pro​

Share Complete Error Messages​

Instead of:

"It's broken"

Try:

"I'm getting this error when I click submit:

TypeError: Cannot read properties of undefined (reading 'email')
at handleSubmit (Form.tsx:23)
```"

Describe What You Expected​

"I expected clicking the button to show a modal, but nothing happens. No errors in console."

Share What You've Tried​

"I've already tried:

  1. Restarting the dev server
  2. Clearing localStorage
  3. Checking if the function is being called (it is) Still not working."

Speed Tips​

Use Slash Commands​

Instead of clicking through menus:

  • /build to switch to Build mode
  • /debug to switch to Debug mode
  • /ask to switch to Ask mode

Keyboard Shortcuts​

ShortcutAction
⌘/Ctrl + .Cycle modes
EnterSend message
Shift + EnterNew line
⌘/Ctrl + Shift + PVS Code command palette

Batch Your Requests​

Instead of sending 5 separate messages:

"Can you:

  1. Create a Header component
  2. Create a Footer component
  3. Add them to App.tsx
  4. Style them with basic CSS"

Learning Effectively​

Ask "Why" Not Just "How"​

Instead of:

"Fix this bug"

Also ask:

"Why did this bug happen? What should I look out for to prevent it next time?"

Request Analogies​

"Explain React state using a real-world analogy."

Ask for Resources​

"Where can I learn more about CSS Grid? Any good tutorials you'd recommend?"

Embrace Not Understanding​

"I still don't get it. Can you explain it differently? Maybe with a simpler example?"

Project Organization​

Use Clear File Names​

1M Code understands your project structure. Good naming helps:

  • ✅ UserProfile.tsx, useAuth.ts, api/users.ts
  • ❌ Component1.tsx, stuff.ts, utils.ts (too generic)

Organize by feature, not by type:

src/
  features/
    auth/
      LoginForm.tsx
      useAuth.ts
      authApi.ts
    dashboard/
      Dashboard.tsx
      useDashboard.ts

Commit Often​

After each working feature:

"Let's commit these changes with a good message"

1M Code can help write commit messages.

Advanced Usage​

Chain of Thought​

For complex problems, ask 1M Code to think step by step:

"Think through this problem step by step before writing any code. What are all the things we need to consider?"

Role Play​

"Pretend you're a security expert. Review this code for vulnerabilities."

Alternatives​

"You suggested approach A. What are two other ways we could solve this? What are the trade-offs?"

Future-Proofing​

"I might want to add [feature] later. Should we structure the code differently now to make that easier?"

Common Mistakes to Avoid​

Don't Skip Modes​

Jumping straight to Build without Spec/Plan leads to rework. Trust the process.

Don't Approve Blindly​

Read what 1M Code proposes before clicking Approve. Understanding is part of learning.

Don't Fear Errors​

Errors are feedback, not failure. Share them with 1M Code.

Don't Build Everything at Once​

Ship the simplest thing that works. Iterate from there.

Don't Compare Yourself​

Everyone learns at different speeds. Focus on your progress, not others'.

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