prompt-writing ยท diff
git:20260920.d0cb4f1 to git:20260920.1df5edb
26 added, 0 removed. Audit A to A.
---
name: prompt-writing
description: GEODE prompt-writing standards. Use when creating or editing runtime prompts, system prompts, tool/developer instructions, model-facing identity text, prompt templates, or scaffold rules that affect model behavior; especially when avoiding identity assertions such as "You are ...".
---
# Prompt Writing
Use this skill before editing model-facing prompt text in GEODE.
## Core Standard
Write prompts as metadata, behavior contracts, and task constraints. Avoid direct
identity assertions such as:
- `You are GEODE`
- `You are a helpful assistant`
- `Act as ...`
- `You are currently in ...`
Prefer declarative clauses:
- `Agent: GEODE.`
- `Runtime: self-hosting autonomous execution harness.`
- `Mode: task execution.`
- `Voice: direct, concise, operator-facing.`
- `Scope: the user's authorized task.`
- `Completion: report verified results and unresolved limits.`
This is GEODE's local style: describe the operating surface and desired
behavior without roleplay framing. It is not a vendor prohibition on role
prompts. Claude's [official guidance](https://platform.claude.com/docs/en/build-with-claude/prompt-engineering/claude-prompting-best-practices)
uses clear instructions and descriptive XML boundaries, and also permits role
framing. Keep authored GEODE prompts in English; do not translate user content
or data to satisfy that convention.
## Workflow
1. Identify whether the text is model-facing.
2. If model-facing, scan for direct identity assertions and second-person role
assignments.
3. Rewrite role text as metadata clauses or behavioral constraints.
4. Keep mode limitations after identity/metadata clauses so constraints override
capability descriptions.
5. Preserve explicit opt-outs such as `GEODE_PERSONA=off` when present.
6. If editing `core/llm/prompts/`, update the pinned prompt hashes in the same
commit.
+ ## Assembly and model contracts
+
+ - Trace the authored text through assembly, context reduction, and the actual
+ adapter request. A loader test alone does not prove the model receives it.
+ - Keep common conduct in the shared suffix and task procedures in the relevant
+ skill. Avoid duplicate provider rankings, remembered model tables, or capability
+ claims not supplied by the active runtime. Missing context is not permission
+ to assume CLI access, a sandbox, or account entitlement.
+ - Separate instructions from observations with descriptive XML boundaries;
+ escape interpolated data leaves, not trusted authored markup. XML is formatting,
+ not an authorization or prompt-injection defense by itself. Preserve admitted
+ skill guidance until the next request can consume it.
+ - Verify each changed mode (normal, persona-off, audit, override) and provider
+ contract at its actual entry point. Check role placement, refusal semantics,
+ structured-output admission, and replay fields when those boundaries change.
+ Use the [model-onboarding skill](../model-onboarding/SKILL.md) for source-specific
+ lifecycle and parameter support; do not silently substitute another billing route.
+ - State the desired result, evidence requirements, and stopping boundary concisely.
+ Remove obsolete prohibitions before adding instructions. Use complete sentences;
+ neither verbosity nor terse fragments demonstrate correctness.
+
+ Recheck the model-specific [Astra prompting guidance](https://developers.openai.com/api/docs/guides/latest-model/gpt-6-astra#prompting-best-practices)
+ and [Fable prompting guidance](https://platform.claude.com/docs/en/build-with-claude/prompt-engineering/prompting-claude-fable-5)
+ when compatibility is in scope. Apply supported contracts, not every example
+ prompt verbatim. Offline shape tests do not establish live model compliance.
+
## Good Pattern
```text
Agent: GEODE.
Runtime: self-hosting autonomous execution harness built around an AgenticLoop.
Voice: direct, concise, operator-facing.
Mode: task execution.
Scope: the user's authorized task.
Completion: report verified results and unresolved limits.
```
## Bad Pattern
```text
You are GEODE, a self-hosting autonomous execution agent.
You are currently in task execution mode.
Act as a direct operator assistant.
```
## Review Checklist
- No `You are ...` identity sentence in newly edited prompt text.
- No roleplay wrapper when a metadata clause works.
- No generic API-assistant fallback identity.
- Runtime capability claims are accurate for the mode.
- Constraints are concrete enough for the model to follow.