TUE, JULY 28, 2026
Independent · In‑Depth · Practitioner‑Tested
ChatGPT Coding

Best ChatGPT Prompts for Coding (2026) — GPT-5.6 and Codex

ChatGPT with GPT-5.6 Sol and Codex (updated to the GPT-5.6 family July 9) handles persistent cloud coding sessions, terminal tasks, and full-stack development. GPT-5.6 Terra at $2.50/M is the cost-efficient option for high-volume code generation. Codex's persistent cloud sessions — added via the Ona acquisition — mean you can assign a task, close your terminal, and return to a completed PR. These prompts are optimised for ChatGPT Plus with Codex, ChatGPT Work, and the OpenAI Responses API.

⌨️ 6 prompts 🕐 Updated Jul 28, 2026
💡 How to use these prompts: Replace everything in [BRACKETS] with your specific details before sending. Click Copy to copy any prompt to your clipboard instantly.
1
Persistent Coding Task via Codex
Assign a multi-hour coding task to Codex and check back later
[USE VIA OPENAI CODEX — persistent cloud session]

I am assigning you a coding task that may take hours. Complete it autonomously. I will check back later.

Task: [DESCRIBE THE FULL FEATURE OR FIX]
Repository: [DESCRIBE OR LINK]
Definition of done: [EXACTLY WHAT DONE LOOKS LIKE]
Constraints: [WHAT NOT TO TOUCH]
Tests required: [YES/NO AND WHAT KIND]

Work through this in stages. Commit each logical unit separately with a descriptive commit message. Leave a PROGRESS.md file updated after each major step so I can see where you are when I return.
2
Debug a Hard Bug — Max Reasoning
Diagnose a hard bug with systematic step-by-step reasoning
I have a bug I cannot figure out. Walk me through diagnosing it step by step.

Bug description: [WHAT IS HAPPENING]
Expected behaviour: [WHAT SHOULD HAPPEN]
Steps to reproduce: [HOW TO TRIGGER IT]
What I have already tried: [LIST]
Code: [PASTE RELEVANT CODE]
Error (if any): [PASTE FULL ERROR AND STACK TRACE]

Think through this carefully before proposing a fix. Start with the most likely cause and work down. If you are not sure, say so and suggest how to narrow it down with a test or log statement.
3
Write Tests for Existing Code
Write comprehensive tests for any existing code with edge cases covered
Write tests for the following code. Cover the cases that matter — not just the happy path.

Code to test: [PASTE CODE]
Framework: [JEST / PYTEST / GO TEST / OTHER]
Coverage goal: [WHAT TO PRIORITISE — e.g. all public functions, edge cases, error handling]
Existing test patterns (if any): [DESCRIBE OR PASTE EXAMPLE]

Write:
1. Unit tests for each public function
2. Edge case tests for inputs that could fail (null, empty, boundary values)
3. At least one integration test if the code touches external services
4. A comment on what you did NOT test and why
4
Migrate From One Framework to Another
Migrate code between frameworks with breaking changes handled
Help me migrate the following code from [OLD FRAMEWORK] to [NEW FRAMEWORK].

What is being migrated: [DESCRIBE — component / service / full module]
Old code: [PASTE]
New framework version: [VERSION]
Breaking changes to handle: [LIST ANY YOU KNOW OF]
Tests that must still pass: [DESCRIBE]

Produce: the migrated code, a list of breaking changes you handled, and anything I need to update in configuration or dependencies.
5
Code Review for Security
Security-focused code review that names specific vulnerabilities and fixes
Review the following code for security vulnerabilities. Be specific and direct — no generic advice.

Code: [PASTE CODE]
Language/stack: [DESCRIBE]
Where this runs: [PUBLIC API / INTERNAL TOOL / USER-FACING / BACKEND]
Auth model: [HOW USERS AUTHENTICATE]

For each vulnerability found:
1. What it is (name the vulnerability type — OWASP category if applicable)
2. The exact line or pattern causing it
3. What an attacker could do
4. The fix

If the code is clean, say so in one sentence and stop.
6
Generate Boilerplate for a New Project
Generate complete production-ready project boilerplate from a specification
Generate production-ready boilerplate for the following project.

Project type: [API / CLI TOOL / FULL-STACK APP / LIBRARY / MICROSERVICE]
Language/stack: [DESCRIBE]
Features to include in boilerplate:
- [E.G. AUTH / DATABASE / LOGGING / TESTING / CI CONFIG / DOCKER / ENV MANAGEMENT]

Generate: the complete file structure, all boilerplate files with real (not placeholder) content, a README with setup instructions, and a .env.example with all required variables listed and explained. Production-quality code — not tutorial-level.