Frank
02883d3ed2
Copy of the legacy ~/.pi/agent/docs tree rebuilt as the command-center knowledge base: concept files promoted to path identity, index listings stripped of frontmatter, all wikilinks/relative links resolved, every checkable claim verified against the live fleet (Dankserver = Ryzen 7 7700X + RTX 3090; Strix Halo is Dankclaw), unverifiable claims tagged. kb-lint exits 0.
101 lines
3.9 KiB
Markdown
101 lines
3.9 KiB
Markdown
---
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type: reference
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title: Agent Instruction Files and Agent Skills
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description: Best practices for AGENTS.md, CLAUDE.md, SYSTEM.md, and the Agent Skills SKILL.md standard.
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tags:
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- agents-md
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- claude-md
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- system-md
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- agent-skills
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- unverified
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timestamp: 2026-08-11
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---
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verified: 2026-08-28
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# Agent Instruction Files and Agent Skills
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This page explains the files that control how an AI coding agent works in a project. Use it when you create or review agent behavior configuration.
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## AGENTS.md
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`AGENTS.md` is the open, cross-tool format for coding-agent instructions. The Agentic AI Foundation (under the Linux Foundation) stewards it. Over 20 coding agents support it, including Cursor, Codex, and Claude Code.
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The format is plain Markdown. It has no required fields. Any heading structure works. Agents read the nearest `AGENTS.md` in the directory tree. In a monorepo, the agent uses a nested `AGENTS.md` per package.
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Include these sections in an `AGENTS.md`:
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* Project overview.
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* Setup and build commands.
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* Code style guidelines.
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* Testing instructions.
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* Pull request instructions.
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* Security considerations.
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* Deployment steps.
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* Commit message conventions.
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Agents load content progressively. Put a short summary at the top. Put detailed instructions in later sections.
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## CLAUDE.md
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`CLAUDE.md` is Anthropic's tool-specific instruction file. Claude Code reads `CLAUDE.md` by default, not `AGENTS.md`. Files load in this order:
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1. Managed policy (`/etc/claude-code/CLAUDE.md`).
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2. User scope (`~/.claude/CLAUDE.md`).
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3. Project scope (`./CLAUDE.md`).
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4. Local scope (`./CLAUDE.local.md`).
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Keep each file under 200 lines. Use the `@path/to/file` syntax to import other files. Use path-scoped rules in `.claude/rules/*.md` with `paths` frontmatter for directory-specific rules.
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To make a repository work in both AGENTS.md and CLAUDE.md workflows, create a `CLAUDE.md` that imports `AGENTS.md` with the `@AGENTS.md` syntax, or use a symlink.
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## SYSTEM.md
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`SYSTEM.md` sets the system-level role and behavior for an agent. It establishes the persona, the prime directive, and the binding rules. In this setup, `/home/dank/.pi/agent/SYSTEM.md` defines the Comrade Chief Designer persona and the ASD-STE100 voice rules.
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Use `SYSTEM.md` for stable, cross-project rules. Use `AGENTS.md` for project-specific context. Do not duplicate content between them. Keep the division of labor clear.
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## Agent Skills Standard
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An agent skill is a directory that contains a `SKILL.md` file. Skills extend an agent's capabilities. The open standard lives at [agentskills.io](https://agentskills.io). Over 50 agents support it.
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The `SKILL.md` frontmatter includes these fields:
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```yaml
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---
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name: my-skill
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description: What this skill does
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license: MIT
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compatibility: node>=18
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metadata:
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internal: false
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---
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```
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The `name` field is required and must use lowercase alphanumeric plus hyphens. The `description` field is required. Keep the name under 64 characters. Keep the description under 1024 characters.
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Skills use progressive disclosure in three stages:
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* Discovery: the agent loads only the name and description at startup.
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* Activation: the agent reads the full `SKILL.md` when a task matches.
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* Execution: the agent follows the instructions and reads resources on demand.
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This keeps the context footprint small.
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## Distribution
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Distribute skills through npm packages with a `pi` manifest, or through the `skills` CLI from Vercel Labs. See the [Skills Documentation](../skills/index.md) pages for details.
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## Citations
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* [agents.md](https://agents.md/)
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* [OpenAI Agentic AI Foundation](https://openai.com/index/agentic-ai-foundation/) (unverified — returned 403)
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* [Claude Code memory documentation](https://code.claude.com/docs/en/memory)
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* [Agent Skills standard](https://agentskills.io/)
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* [agentskills/agentskills](https://github.com/agentskills/agentskills)
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* [vercel-labs/skills](https://github.com/vercel-labs/skills)
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## See Also
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* [SDLC and Tooling](sdlc.md)
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* [Skills Ecosystem](skills-ecosystem.md)
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