Stop Token Waste
in Bolt.new

Use Atomic Prompts (One Task = One Prompt)

The Waste: Multi-task prompts confuse the AI, leading to partial implementations and multiple retry cycles.

The Fix:

Stop on Red (Don't Feed the Loop)

The Waste: When builds fail, continuing to prompt "fix this" sends Bolt into a token-burning spiral with no exit.

The Fix:

• Watch the Terminal tab for build errors
• At first red error, STOP typing new prompts
• Read the actual error message yourself
• Revert the last change using version history
• Re-prompt with a clearer, smaller scope

Reset Context When AI Gets Confused

The Waste: As context window fills, Bolt starts contradicting itself, generating broken code, and retrying endlessly.

The Fix:

• Type /reset when you see contradictory code
• Or start a new chat thread after 20+ messages
• Re-paste only the essential context (App.tsx, key files)
• Continue with fresh AI memory

Use Reference Files (Don't Describe Code)

The Waste: Describing your code structure in prompts consumes tokens and often leads to misunderstandings.

The Fix:

• Keep key files open in the editor
• Reference them by filename: "Update the handleSubmit function in Login.tsx"
• Use @ mentions if Bolt supports them
• Paste small code snippets (< 50 lines) for context

Batch Related Changes (Strategic Grouping)

The Waste: Too many tiny prompts create context switching overhead. Too large prompts create confusion.

The Fix:

• Group 2-3 related tasks in one prompt
• Example: "Add form validation AND error handling to the signup form"
• Example: "Create the API route AND connect it to the frontend button"
• Avoid grouping unrelated tasks (UI + database + auth)