Table of Contents

Prompts

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Prompt settings control reusable instruction templates used by Oscova's agent pipeline. They are not one-off chat messages. They shape how agents receive context and supporting instructions.

Note

Prompt here means a saved instruction file used by Oscova during agent construction, not merely a message typed into chat.

Prompt catalogue

The prompt settings page lists the editable templates and where each is stored. Click Edit to open the full editor.

Current prompt types include:

  • Compaction Instruction controls how long conversations are summarized and supports {{ chat_history }}.
  • Memory System Prompt controls how saved memory is presented and supports {{ agent_memory }}.
  • Environment Prompt describes runtime context and supports {{ os }}, {{ architecture }}, {{ shell }}, {{ working_directory }}, {{ path_separator }}, {{ home_directory }}, {{ temp_directory }}, and {{ workspace_directories }}.
  • Library Instruction guides semantic search across persistent Library files, distinguishes it from conversation memory, and supports {{ library_path }}.
  • Tool Discovery Instruction guides how agents search for deferred tools.
  • Task List Instruction guides task-list behavior when an agent has Enable Task List on.
  • Skills Instruction guides how agents discover, load, and use assigned skills. It supports {skills}.

The prompt files are stored under your user prompt folder as compaction.md, memory-system.md, environment.md, library.md, tool-search.md, todo-provider.md, and skills.md.

Edit safely

The editor uses a code editor with variable highlighting. Click a variable chip to insert it at the cursor. Click Save to persist changes, or Cancel to discard the draft.

Saved prompt changes take effect on later agent runs. They do not rewrite a response already in progress.

Caution

Variable names are case-sensitive. {{ agent_memory }} and {{ Agent_Memory }} are different text to the renderer.

The Skills prompt uses single-brace placeholders because it is consumed by the skill provider, not the same double-brace renderer used by compaction, memory, and environment prompts.

Each prompt must stay within the 512 KB text-editor limit. If Save reports that the content is too large, shorten the template and try again.

When to edit prompts

Edit these templates when you want to change shared background behavior:

  • Compaction summaries are losing decisions or open questions.
  • Memory context needs clearer dates or caution.
  • Environment context is too noisy or missing useful workspace detail.
  • Tool discovery should search more narrowly or more broadly.
  • Task lists need a different style for complex work.
  • Skill loading instructions should explain when to read SKILL.md, when to load resources, or how to treat bundled scripts.

For a single agent's persona or job description, edit that agent's System Instruction instead. For a repeatable capability with resources or scripts, use a skill.

Recover from a bad edit

Reopen the prompt, remove the experimental text, and save. If a prompt file is missing or blank, Oscova falls back to its built-in default for that prompt when the prompt catalogue is loaded.

Start a new turn after saving so the next model request uses the updated template.