Variable Syntax Reference

Complete reference for variable syntax, naming rules, and supported formats in PromptEverything.

Basic Syntax

Variable Format

{{variable_name}}

Requirements:

• Must use double curly braces {{ and }}
• No spaces inside the braces: {{name}} ✅, {{ name }} ❌
• Case-sensitive: {{Name}} and {{name}} are different variables

Valid Variable Names

Allowed characters:

• Letters (a-z, A-Z)
• Numbers (0-9)
• Underscores (_)

Naming rules:

• Must start with a letter: {{name}} ✅, {{1name}} ❌
• Can contain numbers after the first character: {{user1}} ✅
• Can contain underscores: {{user_name}} ✅
• Cannot contain spaces: {{user name}} ❌
• Cannot contain hyphens: {{user-name}} ❌
• Cannot contain special characters: {{user@name}} ❌

Examples

✅ Valid Variables:

{{name}}
{{email_address}}
{{user123}}
{{firstName}}
{{TOPIC}}
{{project_deadline_date}}

❌ Invalid Variables:

{name}           // Single braces
{{ name }}       // Spaces inside braces
{{user-name}}    // Hyphen not allowed
{{user name}}    // Space not allowed
{{123user}}      // Cannot start with number
{{user@email}}   // Special characters not allowed

Variable Replacement

How Variables Are Replaced

1. Exact match required: Variable names are case-sensitive
2. Left-to-right replacement: Variables are replaced in order of appearance
3. Multiple instances: All instances of the same variable are replaced with the same value

Replacement Examples

Template:

Hello {{name}}, welcome to {{company}}. Your {{name}} account is ready!

Variables:

• name: "John"
• company: "PromptEverything"

Result:

Hello John, welcome to PromptEverything. Your John account is ready!

Special Cases

Empty Variables

Empty variables are replaced with nothing (removed completely):

Template:

{{greeting}}{{name}}, how are you?

Variables:

• greeting: "" (empty)
• name: "Alice"

Result:

Alice, how are you?

Undefined Variables

Variables without values remain unchanged:

Template:

Hello {{name}}, your order {{order_id}} is ready.

Variables:

• name: "Bob"
• order_id: (not defined)

Result:

Hello Bob, your order {{order_id}} is ready.

Whitespace Handling

Variables can include surrounding whitespace:

Template:

Dear {{title}} {{last_name}},{{line_break}}Your appointment is confirmed.

Variables:

• title: "Dr."
• last_name: "Smith"
• line_break: "\n\n" (empty line)

Result:

Dear Dr. Smith,

Your appointment is confirmed.

Common Patterns

Conditional Content

Use empty variables for optional content:

Template:

{{urgent_prefix}}Subject: {{subject}}

{{greeting}}

Your message here.

{{signature}}

For urgent emails:

• urgent_prefix: "URGENT: "
• greeting: "This requires immediate attention."
• signature: "Please respond by EOD."

For normal emails:

• urgent_prefix: "" (empty)
• greeting: "" (empty)
• signature: "Thanks!"

List Variables

Use variables to include structured content:

Template:

Meeting Agenda:
{{agenda_items}}

Action Items:
{{action_items}}

Variables:

• agenda_items: "• Budget review\n• Q4 planning\n• Team updates"
• action_items: "1. Submit reports by Friday\n2. Schedule follow-up meetings"

Nested Content

Variables can contain formatting:

Template:

# {{document_title}}

{{content_sections}}

---
{{footer_info}}

Limits and Constraints

Variable Name Length

• Maximum length: 50 characters
• Recommended length: 20 characters or less
• Best practice: Use descriptive but concise names

Number of Variables

• Per prompt: No hard limit
• Recommended: 5-15 variables for most use cases
• Best practice: Group related variables logically

Variable Value Length

• Maximum length: 10,000 characters per variable
• Recommended: Keep values reasonable for intended use
• Best practice: Use shorter values for better readability

Best Practices

Naming Conventions

✅ Recommended:
{{user_name}}        // Clear and descriptive
{{email_subject}}    // Includes context
{{meeting_date}}     // Specific purpose
{{sender_signature}} // Complete description

❌ Avoid:
{{text}}            // Too generic
{{thing}}           // Meaningless
{{var1}}            // Non-descriptive
{{n}}               // Too short

Variable Organization

Group related variables:

// Contact information
{{recipient_name}}
{{recipient_email}}
{{recipient_company}}

// Email details
{{email_subject}}
{{email_priority}}
{{email_body}}

Default Values

Consider providing helpful defaults:

{{tone}} → "professional"
{{urgency}} → "" (empty for normal priority)
{{signature}} → "Best regards,\n[Your Name]"

Troubleshooting

Variable Not Replacing

Problem: {{name}} appears in output instead of being replaced

Causes & Solutions:

• Typo in template: Check spelling of {{name}}
• Typo in variable name: Ensure exact match (case-sensitive)
• Missing value: Assign a value to the variable
• Extra spaces: Use {{name}} not {{ name }}

Unexpected Output

Problem: Variable replacement produces wrong result

Causes & Solutions:

• Case sensitivity: {{Name}} ≠ {{name}}
• Multiple variables: Check if similar variable names exist
• Special characters: Use only letters, numbers, and underscores

Variables Not Detected

Problem: Variable doesn't appear in Variables panel

Causes & Solutions:

• Invalid syntax: Must use {{variable_name}} format
• Invalid characters: Use only allowed characters
• Save required: Save the prompt after adding variables

Quick Reference

Element	Format	Example
Basic variable	{{name}}	{{user_name}}
Multi-word	{{word_word}}	{{first_name}}
With numbers	{{word123}}	{{project2024}}
Optional content	{{prefix}}content	{{urgent}}Message
Empty for removal	{{variable}} = ""	Removes completely

Valid characters: Letters, numbers, underscores
Case sensitive: Yes
Max name length: 50 characters
Max value length: 10,000 characters