# Use @Prompts in Chat for Custom Prompts

**URL:** <https://forum.cursor.com/t/use-prompts-in-chat-for-custom-prompts/357>\
**Category:** Feature Requests\
**Created:** [September 4, 2023, 12:25pm UTC](https://forum.cursor.com/t/use-prompts-in-chat-for-custom-prompts/357 "2023-09-04T12:25:24Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 9

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**Author:** ![iraklisg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/cursor1/user_avatar/forum.cursor.com/iraklisg/32/4252_2.png) [@iraklisg](https://forum.cursor.com/u/iraklisg)\
**Post date:** [March 26, 2025, 6:55am UTC](https://forum.cursor.com/t/use-prompts-in-chat-for-custom-prompts/357/9 "2025-03-26T06:55:24Z")

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Regarding the requested feature of enabling custom prompts within Cursor:

Several workarounds have been suggested, such as [canned prompts](https://forum.cursor.com/t/context-groups-defining-collections-of-files-as-a-single-context-for-prompting/7405/6), using [Espanso](https://forum.cursor.com/t/smart-customized-prompts-on-top-of-main-system-prompt-with-espanso-a-practical-guide/24374), or leveraging [notepads](https://docs.cursor.com/beta/notepads). While these solutions might work in specific scenarios, they are not streamlined. To ensure an efficient workflow, I believe this feature should include the following key capabilities:

1. **First-party integration within Cursor IDE** with intuitive triggering via `@` commands, e.g., `@Prompt`.
2. **Per-project customization** using version control, allowing prompts to be stored and managed alongside project files.
3. **Support for referencing external files or other prompts** via markdown links or `@` commands.
4. **System variable interpolation** , such as `${user_input}`, to dynamically insert user input into prompts.

### Proposed Workflow

1. **Users define prompt files within the repository** , possibly inside `.cursor/prompts/`, similar to how `.cursor/rules/` allows per-project rules.

2. **Users reference the prompt in the chat box** using the `@` symbol:

3. **When sent to the LLM, this expands into:**

### Comparison with GitHub Copilot

GitHub Copilot already supports [prompt files](https://docs.github.com/en/copilot/customizing-copilot/adding-repository-custom-instructions-for-github-copilot#enabling-prompt-files) that:

- Reference external files
- Can be shared within VS Code
- Are defined on a per-project basis

Bringing similar functionality to Cursor would enhance usability and streamline prompt-driven workflows.

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_[View the full topic](https://forum.cursor.com/t/use-prompts-in-chat-for-custom-prompts/357)._