This guide covers hosted FLUX models, but most concepts apply to all FLUX models. After reading about those fundamentals, explore practical enhancement techniques.

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What is prompting?

Prompting is how you tell the model what to render. Clear prompts make better images. Below: the same idea with a short prompt vs. a detailed one.
Basic portrait

Basic Astronaut Prompt

Basic concept art

Detailed Astronaut Prompt

What changed? The detailed version includes more specifics about style and atmosphere, which gives you better images.

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Basic Prompt Structure

Use this framework for reliable results:
Subject + Action + Style + Context
Framework Structure:
  • Subject: The main focus (person, object, character)
  • Action: What the subject is doing or their pose
  • Style: Artistic approach, medium, or aesthetic
  • Context: Setting, lighting, time, mood, or atmospheric conditions
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Red Fox Example

  • Subject: Red fox
  • Action: sitting in tall grass
  • Style: wildlife documentary photography
  • Context: misty dawn
Result: “Red fox sitting in tall grass, wildlife documentary photography, misty dawn”
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Human Explorer Example

  • Subject: Human explorer
  • Action: walking through cyberpunk forest
  • Style: sci-fi fantasy art style
  • Context: dramatic atmospheric lighting
Result: “Human explorer in futuristic gear walking through cyberpunk forest, dramatic atmospheric lighting, sci-fi fantasy art style, cinematic composition”

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Structured descriptions beat keyword lists

FLUX responds best to structured descriptions that mix natural relationships with direct specifications.
  • Disconnected keywords (weak): “Woman, red dress, beach, sunset, happy, smiling, waves, golden light”
  • Overwritten prose (bloated): “A joyful woman … warm sunset light illuminating her smile”
  • Structured (best): “A joyful woman in a flowing red dress walks along a sandy beach, golden hour, gentle waves, warm lighting”
Why it works:
  • Natural language handles relationships and spatial cues
  • Short, direct specs cover lighting, time, atmosphere
  • Fewer filler words; clearer intent

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Prompt length guidelines

FLUX supports up to 512 tokens.
Pick the length to match complexity:
  • Short (10–30 words): Simple ideas, fast iteration. Example: “Serene mountain lake at dawn, watercolor style”
  • Medium (30–80 words): Most scenes. Enough control without bloat.
  • Long (80+ words): Multi-subject or technical requirements. Use sparingly.
Start short. Add only what changes the image.

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Word order importance

FLUX pays more attention to words and concepts mentioned earlier in your prompt. Structure your prompts strategically by front-loading the most important elements.
  1. Lead with the subject: Put the main thing first.
  2. Then the action: Describe what it’s doing.
  3. Add style: Artistic approach or medium.
  4. Add context: Setting and lighting that shape everything.
  5. Finish with details: Secondary and atmospheric elements.

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Poor word order

“In a mystical forest with ancient trees and glowing mushrooms, featuring dramatic lighting and a fantasy art style, there stands a powerful wizard casting a spell with magical energy swirling around him”
Problems:
  • Context details come first
  • Main subject (wizard) is buried at the end
  • Key action (casting spell) gets less attention

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Front-loaded word order

“A powerful wizard casting a spell with magical energy swirling around him, fantasy art style with dramatic lighting, standing in a mystical forest with ancient trees and glowing mushrooms”
Advantages:
  • Wizard (main subject) is front and center
  • Spell casting (key action) gets priority
  • Style and environment support the main elements

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Front-loading Examples

Character-focused scenes
Start with character description and primary action, follow with style and environmental context.
Example: “A confident astronaut floating in zero gravity, reaching toward a distant star, cinematic sci-fi style, in the vastness of space with Earth visible below”
Context-focused scenes
Start with the main setting or architectural element, follow with atmospheric details and style.
Example: “An ancient gothic cathedral with soaring arches and stained glass windows, dramatic chiaroscuro lighting, interior view with dust motes floating in colored light beams”
For use‑case patterns, see Enhancement Patterns.

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Key takeaways

  • Write naturally; avoid raw keyword dumps
  • Use the core structure: Subject + Action + Style + Context
  • Front‑load what matters to steer the image
  • Right-size the length (30–80 words often hits the sweet spot)
  • Iterate; adjust one variable at a time
Include mood, lighting, texture, and spatial detail when it actually changes the result.

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Troubleshooting