Think of Ella as your creative collaborator, and like any good teammate, she works best when you communicate clearly. This guide will help you get the most out of working with Ella, whether you're building something from scratch or fine-tuning the details.
The secret? Be specific, be natural, and don't be afraid to experiment. Let's dive into how to make your experience smooth, fast, and productive!
Core Principle: Be Specific and Direct
The more specific you are with your requests - what you want to happen, where it should happen, and what the outcome should be - the better your results will be and the faster Ella can make changes.
1. Use natural language, not pre-made prompts
Always communicate with Ella in your own words. Avoid copying pre-defined prompts generated by other AI models.
Why this matters
Ella works best when she understands your genuine intent in natural, conversational language. Pre-structured prompts can confuse her or miss the nuances of what you actually want.
If you need help formulating your request
If you're brainstorming with another AI model:
Option A: After getting ideas, explain what you want to build in your own words
Option B: Ask the model to convert its technical prompt into a natural language message that explains your goal conversationally
Example:
❌ "Create a React component with useState hook for form validation implementing real-time error checking with debounced input handlers..."
✅ "I need a contact form that checks if the email is valid as the user types, but not on every keystroke - wait half a second after they stop typing"
2. How to communicate with Ella more effectively
Ella focuses mainly on your last 2–3 messages to stay aligned with your most recent request. This means short replies like "no," "that didn't work," or "try again" don’t give her enough context to help.
Instead try the reset + clear instructions approach
When something doesn't work, do a quick reset with a specific instruction:
Example:
"That update didn't happen. Please try again. What I want is: remove footer B, keep footer A, and leave everything else unchanged."
Key elements of effective instructions
State what didn't work
Clearly specify what you want
Mention what should stay the same (if relevant)
Be specific about locations (page, tab, etc) or components
3. Use contextual editing (this helps a lot)
When you need to edit something specific - especially when there are similar elements - use Ella's contextual editing feature to eliminate guesswork
How to Use Contextual Editing
Click the @ symbol in the chat
Select "Select on Page"
Click the exact component you want edited
This removes the guesswork for her and ensures the change applies in the right place.
Note: Need to modify a data table, action, or agent? Click the 3-dot menu on any of these components and select "Ask Ella". This instantly brings that component into your chat so you can discuss it and make changes with Ella's help.
4. Use the restore function
The built-in restore feature lets you roll back to any previous version, making it safe to try different approaches or revert things back to how they were before a change.
How to Restore
Scroll to the message where you want to revert
Select "Restore"
Your app instantly resets to that moment
When to use restore
An edit went in the wrong direction
You want to try a different approach
Multiple small changes moved away from what you had in mind
Tip: Don't be afraid to experiment. You can always restore to a previous version
Additional Tips for Success
Be descriptive about location
Instead of: "Change the button"
Try: "Change the blue ‘Submit’ button in the top right of the form submission page"
Specify expected behavior
Instead of: "Add validation"
Try: "When someone submits the form without filling in their email, show a red error message below the email field that says ‘Email is required’"
Break down complex changes
If you have multiple edits, consider doing them one at a time, especially if they're unrelated.
Quick Reference: Editing Checklist
Before sending your edit request, ask yourself:
Am I being specific about what needs to change?
Am I being clear about where the change should happen?
Have I explained what should stay the same (if relevant)?
If the last edit failed, am I giving new clear direction instead of just saying "no"?
Following these practices will help you get faster, more accurate results and make your entire building and editing experience with Ella much smoother!