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docs(prompt): clarify supported customization surfaces

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Brandon Zarnitz 2026-05-04 22:00:57 -04:00 • committed by Teknium
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website/docs/developer-guide/prompt-assembly.md
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The skills system contributes a compact skills index to the prompt when skills tooling is available.
## Supported prompt customization surfaces
Most users should treat `agent/prompt_builder.py` as implementation code, not a configuration surface. The supported customization path is to change the prompt inputs Hermes already loads, rather than editing Python templates in place.
### Use these surfaces first
- `~/.hermes/SOUL.md` — replace the built-in default identity block with your own agent persona and standing behavior.
- `~/.hermes/MEMORY.md` and `~/.hermes/USER.md` — provide durable cross-session facts and user profile data that should be snapshotted into new sessions.
- Project context files such as `.hermes.md`, `HERMES.md`, `AGENTS.md`, `CLAUDE.md`, or `.cursorrules` — inject repo-specific working rules.
- Skills — package reusable workflows and references without editing core prompt code.
- Optional system prompt config / API overrides — add deployment-specific instruction text without forking Hermes.
- Ephemeral overlays such as `HERMES_EPHEMERAL_SYSTEM_PROMPT` or prefill messages — add turn-scoped guidance that should not become part of the cached prompt prefix.
### When to edit code instead
Edit `agent/prompt_builder.py` only if you are intentionally maintaining a fork or contributing upstream behavior changes. That file assembles the prompt plumbing, cache boundaries, and injection order for every session. Direct edits there are global product changes, not per-user prompt customization.
In other words:
- if you want a different assistant identity, edit `SOUL.md`
- if you want different repo rules, edit project context files
- if you want reusable operating procedures, add or modify skills
- if you want to change how Hermes assembles prompts for everyone, change Python and treat it as a code contribution
## Why prompt assembly is split this way
The architecture is intentionally optimized to: