.sixthignore File Guide
Overview
The.sixthignore
file is a project-level configuration file that tells Sixth which files and directories to ignore when analyzing your codebase. Similar to .gitignore
, it uses pattern matching to specify which files should be excluded from Sixth’s context and operations.
Purpose
- Reduce Noise: Exclude auto-generated files, build artifacts, and other non-essential content
- Improve Performance: Limit the amount of code Sixth needs to process
- Focus Attention: Direct Sixth to relevant parts of your codebase
- Protect Sensitive Data: Prevent Sixth from accessing sensitive configuration files
Example .sixthignore File
Prompting Sixth đź’¬
Prompting is how you communicate your needs for a given task in the back-and-forth chat with Sixth. Sixth understands natural language, so write conversationally. Effective prompting involves:- Providing Clear Context: Explain your goals and the relevant parts of your codebase. Use
@
to reference files or folders. - Breaking Down Complexity: Divide large tasks into smaller steps.
- Asking Specific Questions: Guide Sixth toward the desired outcome.
- Validating and Refining: Review Sixth’s suggestions and provide feedback.
Prompt Examples
Context Management
- Starting a New Task: “Sixth, let’s start a new task. Create
user-authentication.js
. We need to implement user login with JWT tokens. Here are the requirements…” - Summarizing Previous Work: “Sixth, summarize what we did in the last user dashboard task. I want to capture the main features and outstanding issues. Save this to
sixth_docs/user-dashboard-summary.md
.”
Debugging
- Analyzing an Error: “Sixth, I’m getting this error: [error message]. It seems to be from [code section]. Analyze this error and suggest a fix.”
- Identifying the Root Cause: “Sixth, the application crashes when I [action]. The issue might be in [problem areas]. Help me find the root cause and propose a solution.”
Refactoring
- Improving Code Structure: “Sixth, this function is too long and complex. Refactor it into smaller functions.”
- Simplifying Logic: “Sixth, this code is hard to understand. Simplify the logic and make it more readable.”
Feature Development
- Brainstorming New Features: “Sixth, I want to add a feature that lets users [functionality]. Brainstorm some ideas and consider implementation challenges.”
- Generating Code: “Sixth, create a component that displays user profiles. The list should be sortable and filterable. Generate the code for this component.”
Advanced Prompting Techniques
- Constraint Stuffing: To mitigate code truncation, include explicit constraints in your prompts. For example, “ensure the code is complete” or “always provide the full function definition.”
- Confidence Checks: Ask Sixth to rate its confidence (e.g., “on a scale of 1-10, how confident are you in this solution?”)
- Challenge Sixth’s Assumptions: Ask “stupid” questions to encourage deeper thinking and prevent incorrect assumptions.
Our Community’s Favorite Prompts 🌟
Memory and Confidence Checks đź§
-
Memory Check - pacnpal
A fun way to verify Sixth stays on track during complex tasks. Try “HO HO HO” for a festive twist!
-
Confidence Scoring - pacnpal
Encourages critical thinking and makes decision-making transparent.
Code Quality Prompts đź’»
-
Prevent Code Truncation
Alternative phrases: “full code only” or “ensure the code is complete”
-
Custom Instructions Reminder
Reinforces adherence to your settings dial ⚙️ configuration.
Code Organization đź“‹
-
Large File Refactoring - icklebil
Helps manage complex files through strategic decomposition.
-
Documentation Maintenance - icklebil
Ensures documentation stays in sync with code changes.
Analysis and Planning 🔍
-
Structured Development - yellow_bat_coffee
Promotes organized, well-planned development.
-
Thorough Analysis - yellow_bat_coffee
Prevents premature coding and encourages complete understanding.
-
Assumptions Check - yellow_bat_coffee
Identifies potential issues early in development.
Thoughtful Development 🤔
-
Pause and Reflect - nickbaumann98
Promotes careful consideration before taking action.
-
Complete Analysis - yellow_bat_coffee
Ensures thorough problem exploration.
-
Continuous Confidence Check - pacnpal
Maintains quality through self-assessment.
Best Practices 🎯
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Project Structure - kvs007
Maintains project integrity.
-
Critical Thinking - chinesesoup
Challenges assumptions and uncovers better solutions.
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Code Style - yellow_bat_coffee
May influence code organization and clarity.
-
Setting Expectations - steventcramer
(A humorous reminder to provide clear requirements and constructive feedback)