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I haven't really been doing this yet, but for what it's worth, I think explaining how to use tools doesn't really belong in your agents.md. I think it's better

by Zambyte 1mo ago

I haven't really been doing this yet, but for what it's worth, I think explaining how to use tools doesn't really belong in your agents.md. I think it's better to use it to explain the what tools are available (information about the environment, like you said), and then provide details on the how in skills files. That way you're not bloating your context with how to use `uv` in a session where you're not doing anything Python related. At worst, you're just saying that `uv` exists on your system.

LoganDark 1mo ago
I didn't say I explain how to use uv. I said I tell the agent to use uv when executing Python. I trust it knows what "use uv" means. I do not trust that it will realize "uv exists" means "don't use raw `python3`"
- Zambyte 1mo ago
  Do you just assume your model knows how to use `jj`? What about personal scripts or lesser known CLIs? I was using `uv` as an example to make a point.
  - LoganDark 1mo ago
    Other than a note that "commit" literally means use `jj commit` rather than trying to "commit" changes with `describe` alone, yes, I do assume that. Jujutsu has existed for like four years now, and is fairly unambiguous, so it's not a major concern for me. It would be more of a concern if the name of the command or the VCS were more overlapping with other things in the training data, but they're not really.
    - Zambyte 1mo ago
      Okay, maybe my point will land with other people. Have a good day.
      - LoganDark 1mo ago
        In general, I tend to do better when people point out what I got wrong, rather than assuming I'm trying to be adversarial(?) when I'm not really. I do have more specific instructions for workflows that the LLM doesn't seem to have pre-existing knowledge of, but I don't over-explain things that it can clearly already do on its own. Aka: I get more specific when it screws up, but I don't over-explain when it doesn't. I start with basic facts, and refine from there if it doesn't get the idea.
perrygeo 1mo ago
Yes. Extrapolated further, my AGENTS.md files barely have any content. It's an index with links to code sections, skills, documentation, etc. I think of AGENTS file like a router - the job is present what's available and dispatch accordingly.

by Zambyte 1mo ago

LoganDark 1mo ago

I didn't say I explain how to use uv. I said I tell the agent to use uv when executing Python. I trust it knows what "use uv" means. I do not trust that it will realize "uv exists" means "don't use raw `python3`"

Zambyte 1mo ago
Do you just assume your model knows how to use `jj`? What about personal scripts or lesser known CLIs? I was using `uv` as an example to make a point.
- LoganDark 1mo ago
  Other than a note that "commit" literally means use `jj commit` rather than trying to "commit" changes with `describe` alone, yes, I do assume that. Jujutsu has existed for like four years now, and is fairly unambiguous, so it's not a major concern for me. It would be more of a concern if the name of the command or the VCS were more overlapping with other things in the training data, but they're not really.
  - Zambyte 1mo ago
    Okay, maybe my point will land with other people. Have a good day.
    - LoganDark 1mo ago
      In general, I tend to do better when people point out what I got wrong, rather than assuming I'm trying to be adversarial(?) when I'm not really. I do have more specific instructions for workflows that the LLM doesn't seem to have pre-existing knowledge of, but I don't over-explain things that it can clearly already do on its own. Aka: I get more specific when it screws up, but I don't over-explain when it doesn't. I start with basic facts, and refine from there if it doesn't get the idea.

perrygeo 1mo ago

Yes. Extrapolated further, my AGENTS.md files barely have any content. It's an index with links to code sections, skills, documentation, etc. I think of AGENTS file like a router - the job is present what's available and dispatch accordingly.