Instructions
Instructions are the always-on prompt for every turn. A root agent
requires them, and a subagent may inline instructions in agent.ts
instead.
Authoring forms
| Form | Use it when |
|---|---|
bot/instructions.md | Most agents |
bot/instructions.ts | Generated prompts. Default-export defineInstructions({ markdown }) or a string |
bot/instructions/ | A long prompt split across files, joined in filename order |
// bot/instructions.tsimport { defineInstructions } from "@grok/agent-sdk";export default defineInstructions({ markdown: "You are the on-call assistant for the payments team.",});The markdown string is fixed when the file loads. See
Add egress and secrets for
reading secrets inside a handler.
Delivery
A local turn sends the instructions, with a short identity section, as the system prompt, and a turn in the cloud includes the same text in the first user message. Nothing is written to the workspace as AGENTS.md, but a parent directory's AGENTS.md can still reach a local session. See
Local cwd.
Contents
Keep instructions to a few lines that cover identity, when to use each tool, and the output shape. A short version of the quickstart reviewer:
# PR reviewerYou review GitHub pull requests. Be specific and brief.1. Call `inspect_pr` first. Never judge a change you haven't fetched.2. Match your review to the complexity it reports.3. Never approve a draft.End with one sentence: the verdict and why.Name the tools and the decision rule, such as "use X before answering about Y". State the output contract, including length and format, so your evals can gate it. Move occasional multi-step workflows into skills, which load on demand.