SECTION_07

Using Guided Mode

Caffeine has two build modes — Instant and Guided. Picking the right one saves credits and produces better first builds.

[CAFFEINE V3: THE AGENTIC BUILD SYSTEM]

In Caffeine V3, a Composer AI orchestrates multiple specialist AI agents working in parallel — one for design, one for backend, one for frontend, and more. The build mode you choose determines how much information the Composer gathers before dispatching those agents — which directly affects the quality of the first build.

> The Two Build Modes

⚡ Instant Mode

Build now, no questions asked

• Single-purpose tools or landing pages
• Prototypes or proof-of-concept builds
• You have a complete, detailed prompt ready
• You've built this type of app before

→ One-shot. Fast. No back-and-forth. This is the DEFAULT mode.

🧭 Guided Mode

Up to 3 rounds of clarifying questions before building

• Multi-feature or multi-user apps
• Unfamiliar domain (DeFi, healthcare, governance)
• Your idea is still fuzzy — you want Caffeine to help define it
• Builds that need precise data modeling before any code is written

→ Deep understanding first, then code. Best for complex, first-time builds.

> Mode Comparison

Mode	Questions Asked	Best For	Credit Efficiency
⚡ Instant ModeDEFAULT	None	Simple apps, quick iterations, complete prompts	Fastest — 1 session, fewer back-and-forth rounds
🧭 Guided Mode	Up to 3 rounds	Complex apps, new projects, nuanced requirements	Balanced — small upfront investment saves costly correction cycles

> The Guided Mode Prompt

Start with this when you have an idea but haven't fully spec'd it out — works perfectly with Guided Mode to ensure Caffeine asks the right questions before writing a single line of code:

Guided mode trigger

Before you write any code, ask me questions to fully clarify my idea.

Cover these areas:
- The app goal and the problem it solves
- Target audience and their use case
- Core features (what's in scope, what's out)
- Data model (entities, relationships)
- Authentication requirements
- ICP-specific needs (canisters, storage, tokens)
- Design preferences (tone, style, colors)

Only start building after I've confirmed the complete spec.

> The Confirmation Step

After answering all the questions in Guided Mode, ask Caffeine to summarize before building:

Request a spec summary before building

Now summarize the full spec based on my answers. Include:
- App name and goal
- Target users
- Complete feature list
- Data model
- Technical requirements
- Design direction

If anything is unclear, ask now. If everything is clear, confirm and I'll tell you to start building.

[Read the Summary Carefully]

The spec summary is your last chance to catch misunderstandings for free. A 2-minute review here can save 30 minutes of corrections later.

> When to Use Each Mode

⚡ USE INSTANT WHEN

• You have a detailed spec ready
• Simple single-purpose tools
• Remixing an existing app with minor changes
• You've built this type of app before
• You want fast, no-questions iteration

🧭 USE GUIDED WHEN

• Your idea is still fuzzy
• Moderate-to-high complexity, multiple features
• Unfamiliar domain (DeFi, healthcare, governance)
• You want to think through the data model first
• High-stakes builds where rework would be expensive

> Combined with ICP Skills

For maximum precision in either mode, pair your prompt with the JSON option from skills.internetcomputer.org. Find the specific skill relevant to your build, click the JSON option, copy the JSON content, and paste it at the start of your session. More signal, less noise — Caffeine responds better to skill-scoped context than the general overview.

Guided mode + ICP Skills JSON (best combo)

[Paste your ICP Skills JSON here — e.g. HTTP Outcalls, ICRC-1, Motoko patterns]

Before writing any code, ask me questions to clarify this ICP app.
Cover: goal, audience, features, data model, ICP-specific needs, and design.
Apply relevant ICP Skills when asking about technical requirements.

Only start building after I confirm the spec.

[JSON Option — More Precision, More Signal]

The general ICP Skills overview gives broad context. The individual skill JSON gives Caffeine exact, scoped instructions — better results for anything involving token standards, HTTP outcalls, stable memory, or Internet Identity. Use it whenever a specific ICP pattern matters for your build.