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Template System

Date: January 9, 2026
Status: ✅ Strategic decision documented
Version: 1.0
Previous concept: Prompt Enhancement (reframed, not replaced)

Executive Summary

What changed (MARKETING ONLY, not technical):

OLD: "Prompt Enhancement" = primary feature (Template System = detail of how it works)
NEW: Template System = primary feature (Prompt Enhancement = technical implementation for those who want to understand deeper)

Prompt Enhancement still exists — it's the AI that analyzes and improves prompts. We just reframed the hierarchy for better user communication.

Why reframe:

Better marketing: "Choose template" clearer than "we enhance your prompt"
User control: User selects outcome style, not "trust us to improve"
Explains mandatory nature: Template must always be selected (not "we won't let you disable")
Solves stylization: Custom templates = paid feature (replaces need for separate styling system)

How Templates Work

User Experience

User selects template (or uses default)
User writes prompt (any completeness level)
System applies template intelligently based on prompt completeness
Generation produces professional result

Template Logic

Default template: Photorealistic (not "general")

Granular enhancement based on prompt completeness:

User prompt	System behavior
Short/vague	Full template enhancement applied
Partial (missing some details)	Fills only missing details
Detailed/specific	Passes through unchanged

Example: Photorealistic template

Template specifies: camera type, lens, lighting, focus characteristics, etc.

User writes: "cat on table"
System applies: Full template (camera, lens, lighting, focus, composition)
User writes: "cat on table, deep focus, natural window light"
System applies: Camera and lens only (respects user's focus and light choices)
User writes: "cat on table, Canon EOS R5, 85mm f/1.4, shallow focus, golden hour backlight, rule of thirds composition"
System applies: Nothing (user specified everything)

Principle: Respect user intent. If they specified something, don't change it.

Template Types

Built-in Templates (Free)

Template	Purpose	Key characteristics
Photorealistic (default)	Real-world photos	Camera specs, lighting, focus, composition
Illustration	Digital art	Style consistency, color palette, line work
3D Render	Product visualization	Materials, lighting setup, render quality
Icon/Logo	Simple graphics	Clean lines, scalability, flat design
UI Mockup	Interface screenshots	Device frames, realistic UI elements
Abstract	Backgrounds, patterns	Color harmony, texture, visual flow

Custom Templates (Paid Feature)

What: Users create and save their own templates

Use cases:

Brand-specific style (colors, mood, composition rules)
Project consistency (same visual language across all images)
Agency presets (client-specific templates)

Pricing: Pro tier feature (or separate add-on)

Why paid:

Requires storage (user templates saved)
Advanced feature for power users
Replaces need for separate "stylization" system
Clear value differentiation

Technical Implementation

Prompt Analysis

Before applying template, analyze user prompt for:

Camera/equipment mentions
Lighting descriptions
Composition directions
Style keywords
Technical parameters (focus, exposure, etc.)

Template Application

finalPrompt = userPrompt + templateAdditions(excluding what user specified)

Not:

finalPrompt = template.replace("{prompt}", userPrompt)  // Wrong - ignores user specificity

Template Storage

Built-in: Hardcoded in backend Custom: User account storage (Pro feature)

Migration from "Prompt Enhancement"

What stays the same:

AI improves prompts automatically ✅
Professional quality output ✅
Works in any language ✅
Always enabled (mandatory) ✅

What changes:

Naming: "Prompt Enhancement" → "Template System"
Control: System chooses enhancement → User chooses template
Granularity: All-or-nothing → Intelligent partial application
Paid feature: No paid enhancement option → Custom templates = paid

Documentation updates needed:

Landing page copy
API documentation
Pricing page (custom templates = Pro)
Marketing materials

Competitive Positioning

Why this is still a moat:

Intelligent partial application - Complex to implement, competitors use simple template substitution
Built-in quality templates - Curated by us, tested for Gemini optimization
Custom template creation - Paid feature, requires UI and storage
Prompt analysis - Understanding what user specified vs. what to add

Time to replicate: 3-6 months (unchanged)

Competitors would need to:

Build prompt analysis system
Create and test template library
Implement granular application logic
Build custom template UI

User Communication

How to explain to users:

Simple version:

"Choose a template that matches your desired style. We'll make sure your image looks professional."

Technical version:

"Templates provide baseline parameters (camera, lighting, composition). If you specify these yourself, we respect your choices. If you don't, we fill in the gaps with professional defaults."

FAQ additions:

Q: Can I disable templates?
A: Templates ensure professional quality. You can override any aspect by specifying it in your prompt.

Q: Why is there a default template?
A: Photorealistic is the most common use case. You can change it per request.

Q: Can I create my own templates?
A: Custom templates are available on Pro tier.

Action Items

Immediate:

Update landing page messaging (template language)
Update API docs with template parameter
Add template selection to UI

Technical:

Implement prompt analysis (detect user-specified params)
Implement granular template application
Add template parameter to API

Future (Pro):

Custom template creation UI
Template storage per user
Template sharing (optional)

Document owner: @men + Oleg
Last updated: January 9, 2026
Related docs:

16-product-features.md - Feature overview
10-pricing-strategy.md - Custom templates pricing

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