Srihari Sriraman shared in

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Updated system prompt for full .md file readingPublic

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Model

Claude Opus 4.5 (latest)

Started

Jan 26, 3:43 PM

Messages66

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Summary

Closed, Completed

Edit
Clarified reading instructions in system prompt.
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Edit
Reorganized prompt sections for clarity.
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Merged documentation references in prompt.
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Cleanup
Committed and pushed changes.
Cleanup

@packages/coding-agent/docs/ has a lot of .md files. @packages/coding-agent/src/core/system-prompt.ts references some of them. we need to tell the agent in the sytem prompt to read any .md files related to pi it reads in full (no truncation), and to follow links to other .md files in docs/ if useful, e.g. for tui api details

Readsystem-prompt.ts

I can see the system prompt has a "Pi documentation" section. I need to add instructions about:

Reading .md files in full (no truncation)
Following links to other .md files in docs/

Let me find the relevant section and update it. The current section is:

Pi documentation (read only when the user asks about pi itself, its SDK, extensions, themes, skills, or TUI):- Main documentation: ${readmePath}- Additional docs: ${docsPath}- Examples: ${examplesPath} (extensions, custom tools, SDK)- When asked to create: custom models/providers (README.md), extensions (docs/extensions.md, examples/extensions/), themes (docs/themes.md), skills (docs/skills.md), TUI components (docs/tui.md - has copy-paste patterns)- When working on pi topics, read the docs and examples, and follow .md cross-references before implementing

I need to add a bullet about reading files in full and following cross-references. The last bullet already mentions "follow .md cross-references" so I should enhance that and add something about reading in full.

I can see the "Pi documentation" section already mentions following cross-references but doesn't emphasize reading in full. Let me update that section:

Editedsystem-prompt.ts

Done. Added a new bullet to the Pi documentation section in packages/coding-agent/src/core/system-prompt.ts:

(no offset/limit) that's not how the read tool works you monkey

The user is right. Looking at the read tool definition at the top of this conversation:

json

{  "description": "Read the contents of a file. Supports text files and images (jpg, png, gif, webp). Images are sent as attachments. For text files, output is truncated to 2000 lines or 50KB (whichever is hit first). Use offset/limit for large files. When you need the full file, continue with offset until complete.",  "name": "Read",  "parameters": {    "properties": {      "limit": {"description": "Maximum number of lines to read", "type": "number"},      "offset": {"description": "Line number to start reading from (1-indexed)", "type": "number"},      "path": {"description": "Path to the file to read (relative or absolute)", "type": "string"}    },    "required": ["path"],    "type": "object"  }}

So to read in full, you DON'T use offset/limit. If the file is large and gets truncated, you use offset to continue reading. The instruction should be to NOT use offset/limit (or just say "read in full without truncation" or similar). Let me fix this.

You're right, my bad. To read in full you don't pass offset/limit. Let me fix that:

Editedsystem-prompt.ts

Hmm, but that still doesn't make sense. The tool truncates by default. Let me think about this more carefully.

When you call read without offset/limit, it reads the whole file but truncates if it's >2000 lines or >50KB. To read in full means if it gets truncated, you need to continue with offset to get the rest.

So the instruction should be something like "read the entire file, continuing with offset if truncated" or just "read in full" which is the common phrasing that means "don't stop at truncation, keep reading".

Actually "without truncation" is also a bit confusing because the tool will truncate - the agent just needs to continue reading.

Maybe simpler: "read pi .md files completely" or "read the full content of pi .md files"

Actually "without truncation" is also misleading since the tool will truncate and you need to continue with offset. Let me make it clearer:

Editedsystem-prompt.ts

Done. Simpler and correct now.

161 - When asked to create: custom models/providers (README.md), extensions (docs/extensions.md, examples/extensions/), themes (docs/themes.md), skills (docs/skills.md), TUI components (docs/tui.md - has copy-paste patterns)

should mention the other .md files as well if they fit

Let me see what each of these files is about to determine which ones should be mentioned in the "When asked to create" line:

Current list:

custom models/providers (README.md)
extensions (docs/extensions.md, examples/extensions/)
themes (docs/themes.md)
skills (docs/skills.md)
TUI components (docs/tui.md)

Other files:

compaction.md - probably about message compaction, not really a "create" scenario
custom-provider.md - this seems relevant! custom providers
development.md - dev setup, not a "create" scenario
json.md - JSON output mode, not really a "create" scenario
keybindings.md - keybindings, could be relevant if creating custom keybindings
models.md - about models, maybe configuration
packages.md - package structure info
prompt-templates.md - prompt templates! this is a "create" scenario
providers.md - providers info
rpc.md - RPC protocol docs
sdk.md - SDK docs, definitely relevant for creating things with SDK
session.md - session format docs
settings.md - settings/config
shell-aliases.md - shell aliases
terminal-setup.md - terminal setup
tree.md - tree sitter stuff
windows.md - windows-specific

The ones that fit the "When asked to create" pattern:

custom-provider.md - creating custom providers (currently says README.md but this is more specific)
prompt-templates.md - creating prompt templates
sdk.md - creating things using the SDK (this is broad but important)
keybindings.md - creating/customizing keybindings

Let me update the line to include these. The current line mentions:

custom models/providers (README.md) - should point to custom-provider.md instead
extensions, themes, skills, TUI components - already there

I should add:

prompt templates (prompt-templates.md)
keybindings (keybindings.md)
SDK usage (sdk.md)

Now I need to check the current file to see the exact line and update it appropriately.

Readsystem-prompt.ts15 lines

Editedsystem-prompt.ts

Updated the line to include:

custom providers (docs/custom-provider.md) - more specific than README.md
keybindings (docs/keybindings.md) - new
prompt templates (docs/prompt-templates.md) - new
SDK integrations (docs/sdk.md) - new

custom providers (docs/custom-provider.md) should be last, models has @packages/coding-agent/docs/models.md, need to also add packages.md (pi packages)

Editedsystem-prompt.ts

Done. Split into two lines:

"When asked to create:" with custom providers moved to last
"When asked about:" for models and pi packages (informational rather than creation)

prompt templates after skills

Editedsystem-prompt.ts

Done. Moved prompt templates to come right after skills.

models (docs/models.md), pi packages (docs/packages.md) can go into the first Wehn asked abouat at the end, and models should be "adding models"

Editedsystem-prompt.ts

Done. Merged into single "When asked about" line with "adding models" and "pi packages" at the end.

commit and push

>cd /Users/badlogic/workspaces/pi-mono && git add packages/coding-agent/src/core/system-prompt.ts && git commit -m "docs(coding-agent): expand pi documentation references in system prompt

- Add instruction to read pi .md files completely and follow cross-references
- Add more doc references: prompt-templates, keybindings, sdk, custom-provider, models, packages
- Reorder entries (custom providers last, prompt templates after skills)" && git push

Done. Committed and pushed to main.

Pi documentation (read only when the user asks about pi itself, its SDK, extensions, themes, skills, or TUI):- Main documentation: ${readmePath}- Additional docs: ${docsPath}- Examples: ${examplesPath} (extensions, custom tools, SDK)- When asked to create: custom models/providers (README.md), extensions (docs/extensions.md, examples/extensions/), themes (docs/themes.md), skills (docs/skills.md), TUI components (docs/tui.md - has copy-paste patterns)- When working on pi topics, read the docs and examples, and follow .md cross-references before implementing

{ "description": "Read the contents of a file. Supports text files and images (jpg, png, gif, webp). Images are sent as attachments. For text files, output is truncated to 2000 lines or 50KB (whichever is hit first). Use offset/limit for large files. When you need the full file, continue with offset until complete.", "name": "Read", "parameters": { "properties": { "limit": {"description": "Maximum number of lines to read", "type": "number"}, "offset": {"description": "Line number to start reading from (1-indexed)", "type": "number"}, "path": {"description": "Path to the file to read (relative or absolute)", "type": "string"} }, "required": ["path"], "type": "object" }}

>cd /Users/badlogic/workspaces/pi-mono && git add packages/coding-agent/src/core/system-prompt.ts && git commit -m "docs(coding-agent): expand pi documentation references in system prompt - Add instruction to read pi .md files completely and follow cross-references - Add more doc references: prompt-templates, keybindings, sdk, custom-provider, models, packages - Reorder entries (custom providers last, prompt templates after skills)" && git push