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System prompt strategy

The system-level AI guidance should stay short and stable.

It should reinforce:

  • what the repo is for
  • where to look first
  • what boundaries matter most
  • what verification is required

It should not try to replace the full repo docs.

Anti-example

Bad AI prompt content:

  • full setup instructions
  • every command in the repo
  • temporary project history
  • long architecture explanations

Good AI prompt content:

  • repo purpose
  • first files to inspect
  • main risk boundaries
  • required verification

Why this matters

Short, grounded system guidance scales better than a giant prompt. It stays readable, easier to maintain, and less likely to go stale.

Next steps