Bolt.new Prompts — Build Full-Stack Apps with AI
Bolt.new by StackBlitz is one of the most impressive AI app builders available — it runs a full development environment in the browser, complete with a Node.js server, package management, and live preview, all driven by natural language prompts. The quality of what Bolt produces depends heavily on how you describe your project. The best initial prompts for Bolt include four things: the type of application, the tech stack you want, the core features, and the visual design direction. For example: "Build a personal finance tracker using React, Express, and SQLite. Features: add transactions with amount, category, and date; a dashboard showing monthly spending by category as a pie chart; a transaction list with search and category filters. Use a clean, minimal design with a white background and blue accents."
Bolt excels at generating full-stack applications in a single prompt, but the real skill is in iterating. After the initial generation, use follow-up prompts to refine specific features rather than regenerating the entire app. "Add a dark mode toggle that persists in localStorage" or "Replace the basic table with a sortable data grid component" are the kinds of targeted prompts that build on existing code without breaking what already works. When something goes wrong, paste the error message directly into the chat — Bolt can read its own generated code and usually fix issues in one or two iterations. Be explicit about what you want preserved: "Fix the authentication bug but do not change the dashboard layout."
For complex projects, use a phased approach. Phase 1: core data model and basic CRUD operations. Phase 2: UI polish and responsive design. Phase 3: advanced features like real-time updates, file uploads, or third-party integrations. This prevents Bolt from trying to generate everything at once, which can lead to tangled code that is hard to debug. Bolt supports deploying directly from the browser, so you can go from prompt to production without touching a terminal. Save your best project scaffolding prompts — the initial descriptions that produced clean, well-structured apps — because they become reusable templates for future projects with different data models but similar architecture.
Copy-Paste Bolt.new Prompts
Ready-to-use prompts for common Bolt.new workflows. Copy, customize the {{variables}}, and paste into Bolt.
Full-Stack App Scaffold
Build a {{app_type}} using {{frontend_framework}}, {{backend_framework}}, and {{database}}. Core features: - {{feature_1}} - {{feature_2}} - {{feature_3}} - User authentication with email and password Design: Clean, modern UI with {{primary_color}} as the accent color. Use a sidebar navigation layout. Mobile responsive. Include a loading state for async operations. File structure: Keep components in src/components, pages in src/pages, and API routes in src/api. Use environment variables for any secrets.
Why it works: Specifies tech stack, features, design direction, and file structure upfront so Bolt generates a well-organized project in one pass instead of a tangled mess.
UI Component Generation
Create a {{component_name}} component with the following specs: Visual design: - {{design_style}} aesthetic - Rounded corners (8px border radius) - Subtle shadow on hover - Smooth transitions (200ms ease) Functionality: - {{interaction_1}} - {{interaction_2}} - Keyboard accessible (Tab, Enter, Escape) - Loading and empty states Props: {{prop_list}} Use TypeScript. Export as default. Include JSDoc comments for each prop.
Why it works: Gives Bolt explicit design tokens, interaction specs, and accessibility requirements so the component is production-ready without multiple revision rounds.
REST API Endpoint
Add a RESTful API endpoint for {{resource_name}}. Routes: - GET /api/{{resource_name}} — list all with pagination (page, limit query params) - GET /api/{{resource_name}}/:id — get single by ID - POST /api/{{resource_name}} — create new (validate required fields: {{required_fields}}) - PUT /api/{{resource_name}}/:id — update existing - DELETE /api/{{resource_name}}/:id — soft delete (set deleted_at timestamp) Include: - Input validation with descriptive error messages - Try/catch with proper HTTP status codes (400, 404, 500) - Response format: { success: boolean, data: T, error?: string } Do not modify any existing routes or the frontend.
Why it works: Defines every route, validation rule, and response format so Bolt builds a complete CRUD API. The 'do not modify' boundary prevents unintended side effects.
Database Schema Design
Create the database schema for a {{app_domain}} application. Tables: 1. {{table_1}} — {{table_1_description}} Fields: id (UUID, primary key), {{table_1_fields}}, created_at, updated_at 2. {{table_2}} — {{table_2_description}} Fields: id (UUID, primary key), {{table_2_fields}}, {{table_1}}_id (foreign key), created_at, updated_at 3. {{table_3}} — {{table_3_description}} Fields: id (UUID, primary key), {{table_3_fields}}, created_at, updated_at Relationships: - {{table_1}} has many {{table_2}} - {{table_2}} belongs to {{table_1}} - {{table_2}} has many {{table_3}} (through join table) Add indexes on foreign keys and any field used for filtering. Include seed data with 5 realistic sample rows per table.
Why it works: Explicit table definitions, relationships, and seed data instructions let Bolt generate a complete, normalized schema with proper indexes from the start.
Deployment Configuration
Prepare this project for production deployment:
1. Environment variables:
- Create a .env.example file listing all required env vars with placeholder values
- Replace any hardcoded secrets, API URLs, or credentials with process.env references
2. Build optimization:
- Add production build script to package.json
- Configure {{bundler}} for tree-shaking and code splitting
- Set up static asset caching headers
3. Docker (if applicable):
- Create a multi-stage Dockerfile (build stage + production stage)
- Add .dockerignore for node_modules, .env, and build artifacts
4. Health check:
- Add GET /api/health endpoint that returns { status: "ok", timestamp: Date.now() }
Do not change any application logic or UI. Only add deployment infrastructure.Why it works: Separates deployment concerns from app logic with a clear scope boundary. The numbered checklist ensures Bolt covers every deployment requirement methodically.
Feature Addition to Existing App
Add a {{feature_name}} feature to the existing app. What it does: - {{feature_description}} User flow: 1. User {{step_1}} 2. System {{step_2}} 3. User sees {{step_3}} UI placement: Add a {{ui_element}} to the {{location}} (e.g., button in the header, tab in the sidebar, section on the dashboard). Data: Store {{data_description}} in the existing database. Add a new table if needed. Constraints: - Match the existing design system (colors, fonts, spacing) - Do not break or restyle any existing features - Add loading and error states - Show a success toast notification on completion
Why it works: Describes the feature through a concrete user flow, specifies exactly where it appears in the UI, and sets explicit preservation constraints to prevent Bolt from disrupting existing functionality.
Recommended tools & resources
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