Essentials of Prompt Engineering
AWS Skill Builder
Last updated March 2, 2026
Essentials of Prompt Engineering is a free, one-hour course on writing prompts that get better results from generative AI models. It starts with what actually goes into a prompt, then covers how to refine and adjust one — including negative prompting and how inference parameters change a model's output — before moving on to named techniques such as zero-shot, few-shot, and chain-of-thought prompting. It closes by looking at where prompting can go wrong, covering common misuses and risks. The course combines videos, interactive elements, text, and graphics.
What you'll learn
- The fundamental elements of a prompt
- What negative prompting is and when to use it
- How inference parameters shape a model's output
- Best practices for designing effective prompts
- Core techniques: zero-shot, few-shot, chain-of-thought
- Common prompt misuses and the risks to watch for
Frequently asked questions about Essentials of Prompt Engineering
Who is Essentials of Prompt Engineering for?
Anyone who wants to write more effective prompts for generative AI, regardless of their job or technical role.
Is Essentials of Prompt Engineering free?
Yes — Essentials of Prompt Engineering is completely free to take.
What are the prerequisites for Essentials of Prompt Engineering?
None required; recommends prior familiarity with the fundamentals of ML and AI, and with AI use cases and applications.
Why we suggest this course
A compact, practical introduction to prompting that goes beyond tips and names the underlying techniques, while being honest about the risks. One thing to know: it is made by AWS and its examples are framed around Amazon Bedrock, though the prompting techniques themselves transfer to other tools.