How to prompt v0

The more specific you are, the better v0's output becomes. From our testing, good prompts consistently deliver:

• Faster generation time (30-40% faster with less unnecessary code, fewer credits spent)

• Smarter UX decisions (v0 understands intent and optimizes accordingly)

• Cleaner, more maintainable code

This guide shows you a framework that consistently produces these results.

Link to headingThe framework: Three inputs that drive great prompts

After building hundreds of applications ourselves and learning from v0's power users, we’ve noticed that the best prompts always include three core inputs:

1. Product surface

2. Context of use

3. Constraints & taste

Here's the template:

1
Build [product surface: components, data, actions].
2

3
Used by [who],
4
in [what moment],
5
to [what decision or outcome].
6

7
Constraints:
8
- platform / device
9
- visual tone
10
- layout assumptions

Let's break down each input.

Link to headingProduct surface

What specifically are you building?

List the actual components, features, and data. Not “a dashboard”, but what data it shows, what actions users can take, and what the key sections are.

Example:

1
Dashboard displaying: top 5 performers with 
2
names and revenue, team revenue vs quota 
3
progress bar, deal pipeline with stages 
4
(Leads → Qualified → Demo → Closed), 
5
6-month revenue trend chart.

When you’re specific about the product surface, v0 doesn’t waste time inventing features you don’t need or missing ones you do.

Link to headingContext of use

Who’s using this, and in what moment?

Be specific about your users and how they interact with the product in real life. Their role, technical comfort level, time constraints, and environment shape how v0 designs the UX.

Ask yourself:

• Who uses this?

• When do they use it?

• What decision are they trying to make?

• How much time do they have?

Example:

1
Sales managers (non-technical) who check 
2
this during morning standups on desktop 
3
monitors to quickly spot underperformers and 
4
celebrate wins with the team.

v0 optimizes for assumed usage. If you don’t define the context of use, it will guess.

Link to headingConstraints & taste

How should it work and look

Constraints tell v0 what not to invent.

Include:

• Style preferences

• Platform or device assumptions

• Layout expectations

• Color systems

• Responsiveness or accessibility needs

Example:

1
Professional but approachable. Use card-based 
2
layout with clear hierarchy. Color code: green for 
3
on-track, yellow for at-risk, red for below target. 
4
Desktop-first since they use large monitors. Make 
5
it feel like a real SaaS product.

v0’s defaults are good. Specific constraints make them great while keeping code cleaner.

Link to headingShow the difference: Real test results

I tested this framework by building the same applications with different levels of context. Each test isolates one element to show its impact:

Link to headingTest 1: The impact of context of use

Without context of use:

1
Build an e-commerce site with product grid, filters, and shopping features.

v0 chat: https://v0.link/6vSzuSI

With context of use:

1
Fashion e-commerce site targeting millennials (25-35) 
2
who browse on mobile during commutes. They compare 
3
multiple items quickly before buying. Build a product page 
4
with: swipeable image gallery, product title, price, description, 
5
size/color selectors, add to cart button. Include minimal header 
6
with back button and cart icon. Clean, premium aesthetic.

v0 chat: https://v0.link/CcOTmsI

What changed:

The version with context took 26 seconds longer but delivered a completely functional product. The version without context had:

• Non-functional search (placeholder only)

• Non-functional cart

• NOT responsive

The version with context had:

• Fully functional search and cart with quantity controls

• 100% mobile responsive

• Sophisticated mobile-first design

• Quick view modals and category filters

The real cost:

Without context would have required 1-2 more prompts to add the missing functionality, totaling ~5 minutes and ~1.5 credits. Better context saved multiple iterations.

Link to headingTest 2: The impact of product surface

Vague product surface:

1
Build a user profile page.

v0 chat: https://v0.link/1Gev1Gi

Specific product surface:

1
Build a user profile page showing: profile photo, 
2
display name, username, email, bio, member since 
3
date, activity stats (posts, comments, followers), 
4
recent activity feed with timestamps, edit profile 
5
and settings buttons.

v0 chat: https://v0.link/690wE6f

Results:

• Vague: 1m 38s, 595 lines, 0.173 credits

• Specific: 1m 19s, 443 lines, 0.160 credits

19 seconds faster, 152 fewer lines, lower cost.

The vague prompt forced v0 to guess. The specific prompt generated exactly what we needed: all requested fields properly structured, activity stats prominent, correct information architecture.

When the product surface is explicit, v0 doesn’t waste time inventing features you don’t need or missing ones you do.

Link to headingTest 3: The impact of constraints & taste

Basic constraints:

1
Build a support ticket dashboard. Shows: open 
2
tickets, response time, agent performance, 
3
recent activity.

v0 chat: https://v0.link/jrNW2FX

Detailed constraints:

1
Build a support ticket dashboard. Shows: open tickets, 
2
response time, agent performance, recent activity.
3

4
Mobile-first design (team leads check this on phones 
5
while on the floor).
6
Light theme, high contrast. Color code: red for urgent 
7
(>24h), yellow for medium, green for on-time. Maximum
8
3-column layout. Include loading states for real-time data.

v0 chat: https://v0.link/ZtsFTeb

Results:

• Basic: 1m 42s, 679 lines, 0.133 credits

• Detailed: 1m 52s, 569 lines, 0.130 credits

Took 10 seconds longer but generated 110 fewer lines and cost less.

The difference: basic version "works on mobile" (desktop layout that shrinks). Detailed version is "mobile-first" (designed from the ground up for mobile, single column expanding to 3 max, intentional color coding with red/yellow/green urgency levels, agent status badges, high contrast for outdoor visibility).

v0's defaults are good. Specific constraints make them great while keeping code cleaner.

Link to headingIterating on your generations

Once v0 generates your app, you have two main ways to iterate:

Prompt for changes: Describe what you want to change, add, or remove. Best for functional changes, adding features, or restructuring layouts.

Design Mode: Click Design Mode, select any element visually, and adjust properties directly. Faster for quick visual changes like colors, spacing, or typography.

Use prompts for logic and structure. Use Design Mode for visual tweaks.

Link to headingQuick reference: Prompt template

Here's the template again, this time with a fully expanded example:

Template:

1
Build [product surface: components, data, actions].
2

3
Used by [who],
4
in [what moment],
5
to [what decision or outcome].
6

7
Constraints:
8
- platform / device
9
- visual tone
10
- layout assumptions

Example:

1
Build a support dashboard showing: open tickets count,
2
average response time, tickets by priority (high/medium/low),
3
agent performance list with current workload, recent ticket activity feed.
4

5
Used by support team leads (managing 5–10 agents),
6
on their phones while walking the floor,
7
to prevent agent burnout and maintain response-time SLAs.
8
Checked every 30 minutes to identify overloaded agents
9
and redistribute work.
10

11
Constraints:
12
Mobile-first, light theme, high contrast.
13
Color code by priority: red for urgent, yellow for medium, green for low.
14
Show agent status badges (busy/available).
15
Maximum 2 columns on mobile.
16

Link to headingWant to go deeper?

• v0 Documentation - Complete guide to all features

• Design Systems Guide - Learn how to create and use design systems

• Project Instructions - Set up rules that apply to all generations

• v0 Templates - Pre-built starting points for common use cases

• Community Platform - Ask for help, share prompt ideas, and chat about AI projects with the community