> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.wednesdayai.dev/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # System prompt > Customise what the agent knows at session start: presets, section toggles, project context files, and per-agent overrides. # System prompt WednesdayAI assembles the agent's system prompt from a set of named sections at run time. The default prompt is comprehensive; you can slim it down with a preset, toggle individual sections, inject custom content, and control which project context files are included. All configuration is under `agents.defaults.systemPrompt` (shared across agents) or `agents..systemPrompt` (per-agent override). Changes take effect when the gateway restarts. Restart: `systemctl --user restart openclaw-gateway`. ## Presets The fastest way to change the prompt's size and scope is a preset: ```json5 theme={"dark"} // ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json { agents: { defaults: { systemPrompt: { preset: "lean", // "default" | "lean" | "minimal" }, }, }, } ``` | Preset | Effect | | ----------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | `"default"` | All sections enabled. Full-featured context, longer prompt. | | `"lean"` | Disables documentation, runtime, model aliases. Compacts tooling and skills sections. Uses progressive skill rendering. Good balance of capability and token cost. | | `"minimal"` | Disables documentation, runtime, model aliases, reply tags, messaging, voice, reactions, silent replies, heartbeats. Tooling renders names only. Skills compact + progressive. Lowest token cost. | ## Per-agent override Named agents can override the shared default. The per-agent config merges over `agents.defaults.systemPrompt`: ```json5 theme={"dark"} { agents: { defaults: { systemPrompt: { preset: "lean" }, }, assistant: { systemPrompt: { preset: "default", // this agent uses the full prompt }, }, }, } ``` ## Section toggles Individual sections can be turned off or customised without changing the preset. Use the `sections` map with the section name as the key: ```json5 theme={"dark"} { agents: { defaults: { systemPrompt: { preset: "default", sections: { documentation: "off", // remove the slash-command reference modelAliases: "off", // remove the model alias list heartbeats: "off", // disable heartbeat task list injection }, }, }, }, } ``` ### Section catalogue | Section | Mode type | Content | | ---------------------- | ------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | `identity` | Standard | Agent name, personality, and identity context | | `tooling` | Generated | Tool definitions and calling instructions — `"compact"` reduces detail, `"names"` lists only tool names | | `toolCallStyle` | Standard | How the agent should format and sequence tool calls | | `safety` | Standard | Safety and behaviour guidelines | | `cliQuickReference` | Standard | Slash-command cheat sheet (`/new`, `/reset`, `/model`, etc.) | | `skills` | Generated | Loaded skill descriptions — `"compact"` condenses, `"names"` lists names only; `progressive: true` renders on demand | | `memory` | Standard | Memory read/write instructions | | `selfUpdate` | Standard | Self-update capability instructions | | `modelAliases` | Generated | Model name-to-provider alias mappings | | `workspace` | Standard | Workspace directory and file layout | | `documentation` | Standard | Documentation access and usage instructions — disabled in `lean`/`minimal` presets | | `sandbox` | Standard | Sandbox mode restrictions and warnings | | `authorizedSenders` | Standard | Who is authorised to give the agent instructions | | `time` | Standard | Current date and time | | `workspaceFilesNotice` | Standard | Notice about workspace file availability | | `replyTags` | Standard | Reply formatting tag instructions | | `messaging` | Standard | Messaging-specific formatting rules (disabled in `minimal`) | | `voice` | Standard | Voice mode formatting rules (disabled in `minimal`) | | `groupContext` | Standard | Group chat context and mention awareness | | `reactions` | Standard | Reaction handling instructions (disabled in `minimal`) | | `reasoningFormat` | Standard | Reasoning and thinking format instructions | | `projectContext` | Config object | Project context files — see [Project context files](#project-context-files) | | `silentReplies` | Standard | When to suppress outbound replies (disabled in `minimal`) | | `heartbeats` | Standard | Heartbeat task list (injected during heartbeat runs) | | `runtime` | Runtime | Runtime and model info — `"minimal"` trims detail; disabled in `lean`/`minimal` presets | **Mode type key:** | Type | Accepted values | | ------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------ | | Standard | `"default"` \| `"off"` \| `"prepend"` \| `"append"` \| `"replace"` | | Generated | `"default"` \| `"compact"` \| `"names"` \| `"off"` | | Runtime | `"default"` \| `"minimal"` \| `"off"` | | Config object | `ProjectContextSectionConfig` — see project context files section | ## Project context files These files are read from the agent workspace directory and injected into the system prompt: | File | Default mode | Purpose | | -------------- | -------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------- | | `AGENTS.md` | `inline` | Workspace context and session startup instructions | | `SOUL.md` | `inline` | Agent personality and core values | | `IDENTITY.md` | `inline` (max 4 000 chars) | Agent name, creature, vibe, emoji, avatar | | `USER.md` | `manifest` | User profile — name, timezone, context | | `TOOLS.md` | `manifest` | Local environment notes — devices, SSH hosts | | `HEARTBEAT.md` | `runKind` | Periodic task list (injected during heartbeat runs only) | File mode values: | Mode | Effect | | ------------ | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | `"inline"` | Full file content injected into the prompt (bounded by `maxChars` if set) | | `"manifest"` | File path and size listed; content is not injected (avoids bloating the prompt for large files) | | `"runKind"` | Injected only during heartbeat-triggered runs, not during interactive chat | | `"off"` | File skipped entirely | Default per-file limit: 20 000 characters. Hard ceiling on total prompt source reads: 8 MiB. Missing optional files are silently skipped. Leave `HEARTBEAT.md` empty (or absent) to skip heartbeat API calls. To change a file's mode, use the `projectContext.files` config: ```json5 theme={"dark"} { agents: { defaults: { systemPrompt: { sections: { projectContext: { files: { "SOUL.md": { mode: "off" }, "TOOLS.md": { mode: "inline", maxChars: 2000 }, }, }, }, }, }, }, } ``` ## Prompt cache The prompt is split into a stable (cached) region and a volatile region at build time. The cache boundary controls where the split happens: ```json5 theme={"dark"} { agents: { defaults: { systemPrompt: { cache: { boundary: "auto", // "auto" (default) | "off" }, }, }, }, } ``` `"auto"` lets the runtime choose the optimal cache boundary for the current provider. Set `"off"` to disable prompt caching entirely (increases token cost, may help debugging). ## Injecting content from a plugin Plugin authors can inject content into the system prompt at run time via the `before_prompt_build` lifecycle hook — without touching admin config. See [Hooks](/developers/hooks) for the hook API; the return value accepts `systemPrompt` (appended after the built sections) and `prependContext` (inserted before the user turn). ## Related * [Hooks](/developers/hooks) — `before_prompt_build` and `context.collect` hook reference * [Gateway configuration](/admin/gateway/configuration) — gateway-wide settings * [Agent tools](/developers/agent-tools) — exposing capabilities to the agent