The foundational system instructions given to a language model written using Markdown syntax (# headers, * bullet points, bold text) to structure rules clearly for the model parser.

Dropped by prompt engineers to make formatting instructions with basic bullet points and bold text sound like an advanced software compiler specification.

• Format Flexing: Treating formatting a text document with basic Markdown bullet points as high-level engineering.
• Over-Complicated Description: Stacking technical words to say "writing clear instructions using bullet points."
• House-Cleaning Reality Check: Like writing a cleaning list with bullet points and calling it a "sanitation manifest in Markdown."

Office Space (1990s) scene where management insists on strict formatting specs and cover sheets for TPS reports, elevating simple document layout rules into rigid institutional law.

Writing initial system instructions using clear Markdown formatting like bullet points and headers.

“Structuring your system prompt in Markdown leads to higher accuracy in output JSON generation.”

“We formatted our chatbot's initial instructions using bold headers and bullet points so the model follows rule steps consistently.”