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System prompts define how your agent behaves. Clear, specific prompts lead to better results.

Anatomy of a Good System Prompt

Writing Tips

Be Specific

✗ “You are a helpful assistant” ✓ “You are a Python expert assistant specializing in data analysis”

Set Constraints

✗ No constraints ✓ “Never use Python 2. Always include type hints.”

Show Examples

✗ “Write good code” ✓ “Example: def func(items: list[int]) -> int: …”

Define Tone

✗ Unclear tone ✓ “Use friendly but professional tone. Be concise.”

Common Prompt Templates

Research Assistant

Customer Support

Code Assistant

Creative Writer

Testing Your Prompt

Iterate in Console:
  1. Open agent
  2. Click Chat
  3. Send test messages
  4. Evaluate responses
  5. Update system prompt if needed
  6. Repeat

Starter Messages

Starter messages appear as suggestions when user opens chat. Optional but helpful.

Common Issues

Agent ignores constraints

  • Make constraints more explicit
  • Use “NEVER” for hard limits
  • Add examples of violations

Agent too verbose

  • Add: “Be concise. Keep responses under 2 paragraphs.”
  • Specify expected format

Agent incorrect behavior

  • Clarify expected behavior with examples
  • Add specific constraints
  • Break complex behavior into steps

Advanced Techniques

Role-playing

Format Specification

Multi-turn Patterns

Best Practices

Clarity Over Length

  • Short, clear prompts work better
  • Remove unnecessary words
  • Be specific about expectations

Test Edge Cases

  • What if user gives malicious input?
  • What if user asks off-topic question?
  • How should agent handle uncertainty?

Version Your Prompts

  • Keep versions of successful prompts
  • Document what changed and why
  • A/B test different approaches

Monitor Behavior

  • Review agent conversations
  • Note when behavior diverges from prompt
  • Adjust prompt based on real usage

Prompt Examples Library

Data Analyst

Translator

Coding Tutor

Dynamic Prompts

Use variables to make prompts more flexible:
Then customize for each agent:
  • Customer Support agent: language=“English”, specialty=“customer service”
  • Coding agent: language=“Python”, specialty=“data analysis”

Next Steps