Learning Objectives
- Understand the prompt, inspect, run, iterate loop
- Know what to approve and what to question
- Give Codex scoped tasks that fit in a short workshop
Section 1
The AI Development Loop
AI development is not one giant prompt. The reliable loop is:
- Prompt Codex with a small, clear goal.
- Inspect the files it wants to create or edit.
- Run the app or game immediately.
- Iterate with the exact error, screenshot description, or missing behavior.
For this class, every prompt should produce something testable. If Codex writes code for five minutes but you never run it, you are guessing.
Section 2
First Codex Prompt
Open PowerShell in your project folder:
mkdir alien-shooter-workshop
cd alien-shooter-workshop
codex
Use this first prompt to teach Codex how to behave during the workshop:
You are helping me build a polished arcade space alien shooter during a beginner workshop on Windows. Keep each step runnable. Explain the command I should run after each change. Prefer simple files, readable code, and fast iteration. Ask before adding large dependencies.
This sets expectations before Codex starts editing.
Exercises
- 1Start Codex in the project folder.
- 2Paste the workshop behavior prompt.
Section 3
How to Ask for Fixes
When something fails, do not say only it broke. Give Codex the exact failure:
The game window opens, but the player does not move when I press arrow keys. Here is what I tried: I clicked the window, pressed left and right, and nothing changed. Inspect the input handling and fix only that issue.
Good fix prompts name the symptom, what you tried, and the boundary of the fix.