Since the start of 2023 and GenAI we've seen a massive number of AI applications for accomplishing tasks. It's powerful, but _it's not easy to integrate this functionality into our lives._
Prompts are good for this, but the biggest challenge I faced in 2023——which still exists today—is **the sheer number of AI prompts out there**. We all have prompts that are useful, but it's hard to discover new ones, know if they are good or not, _and manage different versions of the ones we like_.
One of <code>fabric</code>'s primary features is helping people collect and integrate prompts, which we call _Patterns_, into various parts of their lives.
- **First, we use `Markdown` to help ensure maximum readability and editability**. This not only helps the creator make a good one, but also anyone who wants to deeply understand what it does. _Importantly, this also includes the AI you're sending it to!_
- **Next, we are extremely clear in our instructions**, and we use the Markdown structure to emphasize what we want the AI to do, and in what order.
- **And finally, we tend to use the System section of the prompt almost exclusively**. In over a year of being heads-down with this stuff, we've just seen more efficacy from doing that. If that changes, or we're shown data that says otherwise, we will adjust.
The most feature-rich way to use Fabric is to use the `fabric` client, which can be found under <ahref="https://github.com/danielmiessler/fabric/tree/main/client">`/client`</a> directory in this repository.
You'll be asked to enter your OpenAI API key, which will be written to `~/.config/fabric/.env`. Patterns will then be downloaded from Github, which will take a few moments.
The client, by default, runs Fabric patterns without needing a server (the Patterns were downloaded during setup). This means the client connects directly to OpenAI using the input given and the Fabric pattern used.
1. Run the `summarize` Pattern based on input from `stdin`. In this case, the body of an article.
If you're not looking to do anything fancy, and you just want a lot of great prompts, you can navigate to the [`/patterns`](https://github.com/danielmiessler/fabric/tree/main/patterns) directory and start exploring!
You can use any of the Patterns you see there in any AI application that you have, whether that's ChatGPT or some other app or website. Our plan and prediction is that people will soon be sharing many more than those we've published, and they will be way better than ours.
To get started, head over to the [`/server/`](https://github.com/danielmiessler/fabric/tree/main/server) directory and set up your own Fabric Mill with your own Patterns running! You can then use the [`/client/standalone_client_examples`](https://github.com/danielmiessler/fabric/tree/main/client/standalone_client_examples) to connect to it.
- **Looms** are the client-side apps that call a specific **Pattern** hosted by a **Mill**.
### CLI-native
One of the coolest parts of the project is that it's **command-line native**!
Each Pattern you see in the `/patterns` directory can be used in any AI application you use, but you can also set up your own server using the `/server` code and then call APIs directly!
Once you're set up, you can do things like:
```bash
# Take any idea from `stdin` and send it to the `/write_essay` API!
cat "An idea that coding is like speaking with rules." | write_essay
One key feature of `fabric` and its Markdown-based format is the ability to _ directly reference_ (and edit) individual [patterns](https://github.com/danielmiessler/fabric/tree/main#naming) directly—on their own—without surrounding code.
Even better, you can also have your [Mill](https://github.com/danielmiessler/fabric/tree/main#naming) functionality directly call _system_ and _user_ prompts from `fabric`, meaning you can have your personal AI ecosystem automatically kept up to date with the latest version of your favorite [Patterns](https://github.com/danielmiessler/fabric/tree/main#naming).
Here's an abridged output example from the <ahref="https://github.com/danielmiessler/fabric/blob/main/patterns/extract_wisdom/system.md">`extract_wisdom`</a> pattern (limited to only 10 items per section).
The content features a conversation between two individuals discussing various topics, including the decline of Western culture, the importance of beauty and subtlety in life, the impact of technology and AI, the resonance of Rilke's poetry, the value of deep reading and revisiting texts, the captivating nature of Ayn Rand's writing, the role of philosophy in understanding the world, and the influence of drugs on society. They also touch upon creativity, attention spans, and the importance of introspection.
## IDEAS:
1. Western culture is perceived to be declining due to a loss of values and an embrace of mediocrity.
2. Mass media and technology have contributed to shorter attention spans and a need for constant stimulation.
3. Rilke's poetry resonates due to its focus on beauty and ecstasy in everyday objects.
4. Subtlety is often overlooked in modern society due to sensory overload.
5. The role of technology in shaping music and performance art is significant.
6. Reading habits have shifted from deep, repetitive reading to consuming large quantities of new material.
7. Revisiting influential books as one ages can lead to new insights based on accumulated wisdom and experiences.
8. Fiction can vividly illustrate philosophical concepts through characters and narratives.
9. Many influential thinkers have backgrounds in philosophy, highlighting its importance in shaping reasoning skills.
10. Philosophy is seen as a bridge between theology and science, asking questions that both fields seek to answer.
## QUOTES:
1. "You can't necessarily think yourself into the answers. You have to create space for the answers to come to you."
2. "The West is dying and we are killing her."
3. "The American Dream has been replaced by mass packaged mediocrity porn, encouraging us to revel like happy pigs in our own meekness."
4. "There's just not that many people who have the courage to reach beyond consensus and go explore new ideas."
5. "I'll start watching Netflix when I've read the whole of human history."
6. "Rilke saw beauty in everything... He sees it's in one little thing, a representation of all things that are beautiful."
7. "Vanilla is a very subtle flavor... it speaks to sort of the sensory overload of the modern age."
8. "When you memorize chapters [of the Bible], it takes a few months, but you really understand how things are structured."
9. "As you get older, if there's books that moved you when you were younger, it's worth going back and rereading them."
10. "She [Ayn Rand] took complicated philosophy and embodied it in a way that anybody could resonate with."
## HABITS:
1. Avoiding mainstream media consumption for deeper engagement with historical texts and personal research.
2. Regularly revisiting influential books from youth to gain new insights with age.
3. Engaging in deep reading practices rather than skimming or speed-reading material.
4. Memorizing entire chapters or passages from significant texts for better understanding.
5. Disengaging from social media and fast-paced news cycles for more focused thought processes.
6. Walking long distances as a form of meditation and reflection.
7. Creating space for thoughts to solidify through introspection and stillness.
8. Embracing emotions such as grief or anger fully rather than suppressing them.
9. Seeking out varied experiences across different careers and lifestyles.
10. Prioritizing curiosity-driven research without specific goals or constraints.
## FACTS:
1. The West is perceived as declining due to cultural shifts away from traditional values.
2. Attention spans have shortened due to technological advancements and media consumption habits.
3. Rilke's poetry emphasizes finding beauty in everyday objects through detailed observation.
4. Modern society often overlooks subtlety due to sensory overload from various stimuli.
5. Reading habits have evolved from deep engagement with texts to consuming large quantities quickly.
6. Revisiting influential books can lead to new insights based on accumulated life experiences.
7. Fiction can effectively illustrate philosophical concepts through character development and narrative arcs.
8. Philosophy plays a significant role in shaping reasoning skills and understanding complex ideas.
9. Creativity may be stifled by cultural nihilism and protectionist attitudes within society.
10. Short-term thinking undermines efforts to create lasting works of beauty or significance.
