DR-301b · Module 2

Version Control & Evolution

3 min read

Prompts are code. They should be versioned, documented, and maintained with the same discipline as production software. Every prompt in the library carries metadata: version number, creation date, last-tested date, test results summary, known limitations, and a changelog that documents what changed between versions and why. Without version control, prompt evolution is invisible — you cannot tell whether the current version is better or worse than what came before.

Do This

  • Maintain a changelog for every prompt — what changed and what it fixed
  • Record test results alongside each version — quantified, not anecdotal
  • Retire prompts that are superseded — dead prompts create confusion
  • Document known limitations per version — every prompt has failure modes, name them

Avoid This

  • Overwrite prompts without recording the previous version
  • Trust that the latest version is the best version without testing
  • Share prompts between team members without versioning — they will diverge silently
  • Treat prompt maintenance as optional — an unmaintained library degrades within months