Most people don’t know how to prompt AI properly.
They type something vague like “Optimize this JavaScript function” and expect groundbreaking results. Then, when they get a slightly cleaner version of what they already wrote, they think, AI isn’t that great.
AI is only as good as your prompts.
DeepSeek R1 is powerful. It understands code well, but if you’re not framing your questions correctly, you’re leaving value on the table.
These 10 prompts will help you get the best possible output—cleaner, faster, and actually useful.
1. “Refactor this function for better performance. Explain each change.”
A vague "optimize this" won’t cut it. You want clear improvements with reasoning so you actually understand what’s being changed.
🟢 Better prompt:
"Refactor this function to improve performance and maintainability. Explain each change in detail, focusing on execution time, readability, and memory efficiency."
This forces DeepSeek R1 to not just rewrite code but also justify every modification.
2. “Identify potential memory leaks in this JavaScript code.”
Memory leaks slow down applications and are hard to spot. Let DeepSeek R1 do the heavy lifting.
🟢 Better prompt:
"Analyze this JavaScript function for potential memory leaks. Point out what’s causing them and suggest fixes."
You’ll get targeted optimizations instead of a generic best-practices list.
3. “Rewrite this SQL query for better performance. Explain the changes.”
Databases get sluggish when queries are inefficient. Asking for a rewrite without explanation means you’ll end up copy-pasting without learning.
🟢 Better prompt:
"Optimize this SQL query for speed. Prioritize reducing execution time and improving index usage. Explain each improvement step by step."
This gets you performance gains you can actually apply elsewhere.
4. “Write unit tests for this function covering all edge cases.”
If you just ask AI to write tests, it’ll generate happy path scenarios and call it a day. You need to force it to dig deeper.
🟢 Better prompt:
"Write comprehensive unit tests for this function in Jest, ensuring all edge cases (invalid inputs, boundary conditions, unexpected data types) are covered."
Your tests will go from basic to robust.
5. “Debug this error and explain what’s causing it.”
Copy-pasting errors into Google works, but DeepSeek R1 can debug faster if you give it the right context.
🟢 Better prompt:
"I’m getting this error in my Next.js app: [Insert error]. Analyze the issue and explain what’s going wrong in simple terms."
Instead of random StackOverflow answers, you’ll get a direct fix with an explanation.
6. “Convert this JavaScript function to TypeScript with proper types.”
Most AI-generated TypeScript code is lazy. It just slaps an any type on everything. That’s not useful.
🟢 Better prompt:
"Convert this JavaScript function into TypeScript, ensuring strict type safety. Avoid using 'any' and infer types where possible."
This forces DeepSeek R1 to do actual type inference instead of taking shortcuts.
7. “Rewrite this function using functional programming principles.”
If you just ask AI to refactor code, it’ll slightly clean it up but won’t shift paradigms. To enforce a different approach, you need to be specific.
🟢 Better prompt:
"Refactor this function to follow functional programming principles. Use pure functions, immutability, and avoid side effects."
This gives you a structural shift, not just minor tweaks.
8. “Optimize this React component to minimize unnecessary re-renders.”
React re-renders kill performance. AI won’t prevent them unless you specifically ask it to.
🟢 Better prompt:
"Identify why this React component is re-rendering unnecessarily and optimize it using memoization, useCallback, or other best practices."
You’ll get targeted solutions instead of basic ‘useMemo’ suggestions.
9. “Explain this complex code to me like I’m a junior developer.”
Ever come across code that looks like an alien language? AI can break it down for you—if you ask the right way.
🟢 Better prompt:
"Here’s a function that does X. Explain its logic in a simple, step-by-step way, as if you’re teaching a beginner."
This makes AI act like a mentor, not just a code generator.
10. “Rewrite this Python script in Node.js while maintaining efficiency.”
AI translates code line by line unless you tell it otherwise. That often leads to inefficient conversions.
🟢 Better prompt:
"Convert this Python script into an optimized Node.js implementation, ensuring equivalent functionality while following best practices for event-driven programming."
Instead of blind translation, you get a version that actually makes sense in Node.js.
If you feed it weak prompts, you’ll get weak results. The way you phrase your request determines whether you get something useful or something generic.
Try these prompts the next time you use DeepSeek R1. You’ll see the difference instantly.
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