Using Prompts (Slash Commands)

Prompts are pre-built templates that guide your AI assistant through multi-step workflows. In MCP clients like Claude Desktop, Cursor, and VS Code, these appear as slash commands you can invoke directly.

Prompts Not Supported Everywhere

Some MCP clients don't support prompts yet (e.g., Windsurf). If slash commands don't work in your editor, see the Getting Started guide for a workaround.

What Are Prompts?

While tools are individual actions the AI can take (like taking a screenshot or clicking a button), prompts are complete workflows that combine multiple tools into a guided experience.

Aspect	Tools	Prompts
Control	AI-controlled	User-controlled
Scope	Single action	Multi-step workflow
Invocation	AI decides when to use	You type a slash command
Example	tauri_webview_screenshot	/fix-webview-errors

Available Prompts

/fix-webview-errors

Purpose: Find and fix JavaScript errors in your Tauri app's webview.

When to use:

• Your app is showing unexpected behavior
• You see errors in the browser console
• Something isn't working and you're not sure why

What it does:

1. Connects to your running Tauri app
2. Retrieves console logs and errors from the webview
3. Analyzes error messages and stack traces
4. Identifies the type of error (TypeError, ReferenceError, etc.)
5. Locates the problematic source code
6. Proposes concrete fixes
7. Cleans up the session

Prerequisites:

• Your Tauri app must be running
• The MCP bridge plugin must be installed
• withGlobalTauri must be enabled in tauri.conf.json

Example session:

You: /fix-webview-errors

AI: I'll help you find and fix JavaScript errors in your Tauri app.

    Starting automation session... ✓ Connected on port 9223

    Retrieving console logs...

    Found 2 errors:

    1. TypeError: Cannot read property 'map' of undefined
       at UserList.vue:42

    2. ReferenceError: fetchUsers is not defined
       at App.vue:15

    Let me analyze these...

    [AI continues to locate code and propose fixes]

How to Use Prompts

In Claude Desktop

Type the command in the chat input:

/fix-webview-errors

In VS Code / Cursor

Use the command in the Copilot or AI chat panel:

/fix-webview-errors

Prompt Discovery

Most MCP clients will show available prompts when you type /. Look for prompts from the "tauri" server.

When to Use Prompts vs. Direct Requests

Use a Prompt When:

• You want a guided, structured workflow
• You're debugging and want comprehensive analysis
• You want the AI to follow best practices automatically
• You're not sure which tools to use

Use Direct Requests When:

• You need a quick, one-off action ("take a screenshot")
• You want specific control over what happens
• You're doing something the prompts don't cover
• You want to combine tools in a custom way

Troubleshooting

Prompt Not Found

If your AI assistant doesn't recognize the slash command:

1. Verify the MCP server is loaded - Ask "What Tauri tools are available?"
2. Restart your AI assistant - MCP servers are loaded at startup
3. Check your configuration - Ensure the tauri MCP server is configured correctly

Session Connection Failed

If the prompt can't connect to your app:

1. Is your app running? - Start it with tauri dev
2. Is the MCP bridge plugin installed? - Check your Cargo.toml
3. Is withGlobalTauri enabled? - Check your tauri.conf.json
4. Is port 9223 available? - The bridge uses this port by default

No Errors Found

If the prompt reports no errors but something is wrong:

1. Reproduce the issue - Trigger the error while the session is active
2. Check the browser console manually - Some errors may not be captured
3. Try a direct request - Ask the AI to "get console logs" directly

Creating Custom Workflows

While built-in prompts cover common scenarios, you can always ask your AI to perform similar workflows manually:

"Connect to my Tauri app, check for console errors, and help me debug any issues you find"

This gives you the same result with more flexibility to customize the process.

See Also

• API Reference: Prompts - Technical details and full prompt specifications
• Getting Started - Initial setup guide
• UI Automation Tools - Tools used by debugging prompts