personal memory agent
Require explicit instructions config for all muse agents
Change default instruction configuration from implicit to explicit opt-in:
- system: "journal" → None (empty string if not specified)
- facets: true → false
- sources.audio/screen: true → false
This ensures every agent explicitly declares what instructions it needs
rather than relying on hidden defaults. Generators must now specify their
sources, and tool agents must opt-in to system prompts and facet context.
Updated 14 muse prompt files to preserve their existing behavior by adding
explicit instructions configs. Utility prompts (occurrence.md, anticipation.md)
intentionally left without instructions as they don't use the system.
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
+68
-57
+2
-1
apps/entities/muse/entities.md
+2
-1
apps/entities/muse/entities.md
+2
-1
apps/entities/muse/entities_review.md
+2
-1
apps/entities/muse/entities_review.md
+2
-1
apps/entities/muse/entity_assist.md
+2
-1
apps/entities/muse/entity_assist.md
+2
-1
apps/entities/muse/entity_describe.md
+2
-1
apps/entities/muse/entity_describe.md
+2
-1
apps/entities/muse/entity_observer.md
+2
-1
apps/entities/muse/entity_observer.md
+2
-1
apps/todos/muse/review.md
+2
-1
apps/todos/muse/review.md
+2
-1
apps/todos/muse/todo.md
+2
-1
apps/todos/muse/todo.md
+2
-1
apps/todos/muse/weekly.md
+2
-1
apps/todos/muse/weekly.md
···
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"description": "Audits the past week's journal follow-ups to confirm completions and surface the next five high-impact todos for today.",
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"color": "#f4511e",
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"tools": "journal, todo",
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-
"group": "Todos"
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+
"group": "Todos",
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"instructions": {"system": "journal", "facets": true}
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}
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+2
-1
muse/daily_news.md
+2
-1
muse/daily_news.md
+2
-1
muse/decisionalizer.md
+2
-1
muse/decisionalizer.md
+2
-1
muse/default.md
+2
-1
muse/default.md
+2
-1
muse/importer.md
+2
-1
muse/importer.md
+2
-1
muse/joke_bot.md
+2
-1
muse/joke_bot.md
+2
-2
tests/test_entity_agents.py
+2
-2
tests/test_entity_agents.py
···
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assert "Full Featured Facet" in extra_context
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assert "A facet for testing all features" in extra_context
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-
# Should include full entity details from the focused facet
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-
assert "## Entities" in extra_context
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+
# Should include entity details from the focused facet (inline format)
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assert "**Entities**:" in extra_context or "Entities:" in extra_context
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assert "Entity 1" in extra_context or "First test entity" in extra_context
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+8
-8
tests/test_generate_full.py
+8
-8
tests/test_generate_full.py
···
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mod = importlib.import_module("think.agents")
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copy_day(tmp_path)
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-
# Create a test generator in muse directory
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# Create a test generator in muse directory (with explicit sources)
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muse_dir = Path(mod.__file__).resolve().parent.parent / "muse"
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test_generator = muse_dir / "test_gen.md"
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test_generator.write_text(
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-
'{\n "schedule": "daily",\n "priority": 10,\n "output": "md"\n}\n\nTest prompt'
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'{\n "schedule": "daily",\n "priority": 10,\n "output": "md",\n "instructions": {"system": "journal", "sources": {"audio": true, "screen": true}}\n}\n\nTest prompt'
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)
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try:
···
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return None
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""")
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-
# Create generator with hook (new format)
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+
# Create generator with hook (new format, with explicit sources)
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test_generator = muse_dir / "hooked_gen.md"
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test_generator.write_text(
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'{\n "title": "Hooked",\n "schedule": "daily",\n "priority": 10,\n "output": "md",\n "hook": {"post": "test_hook"}\n}\n\nTest prompt'
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'{\n "title": "Hooked",\n "schedule": "daily",\n "priority": 10,\n "output": "md",\n "hook": {"post": "test_hook"},\n "instructions": {"system": "journal", "sources": {"audio": true, "screen": true}}\n}\n\nTest prompt'
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)
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try:
···
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mod = importlib.import_module("think.agents")
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copy_day(tmp_path)
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-
# Create generator without hook
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# Create generator without hook (with explicit sources)
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muse_dir = Path(mod.__file__).resolve().parent.parent / "muse"
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test_generator = muse_dir / "nohook_gen.md"
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test_generator.write_text(
206
-
'{\n "schedule": "daily",\n "priority": 10,\n "output": "md"\n}\n\nNo hook prompt'
206
+
'{\n "schedule": "daily",\n "priority": 10,\n "output": "md",\n "instructions": {"system": "journal", "sources": {"audio": true, "screen": true}}\n}\n\nNo hook prompt'
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)
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try:
···
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day_dir = day_path("20240101")
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day_dir.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
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-
# Create a test generator
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# Create a test generator (with explicit sources)
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muse_dir = Path(mod.__file__).resolve().parent.parent / "muse"
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test_generator = muse_dir / "empty_gen.md"
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test_generator.write_text(
275
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'{\n "schedule": "daily",\n "priority": 10,\n "output": "md"\n}\n\nTest prompt'
275
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'{\n "schedule": "daily",\n "priority": 10,\n "output": "md",\n "instructions": {"system": "journal", "sources": {"audio": true, "screen": true}}\n}\n\nTest prompt'
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)
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try:
+5
-5
tests/test_output_hooks.py
+5
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tests/test_output_hooks.py
···
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prompt_file = muse_dir / "hooked_test.md"
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prompt_file.write_text(
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'{\n "title": "Hooked",\n "schedule": "daily",\n "priority": 10,\n "output": "md",\n "hook": {"post": "hooked_test"}\n}\n\nTest prompt'
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'{\n "title": "Hooked",\n "schedule": "daily",\n "priority": 10,\n "output": "md",\n "hook": {"post": "hooked_test"},\n "instructions": {"system": "journal", "sources": {"audio": true, "screen": true}}\n}\n\nTest prompt'
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)
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hook_file = muse_dir / "hooked_test.py"
···
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prompt_file = muse_dir / "noop_test.md"
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prompt_file.write_text(
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'{\n "title": "Noop",\n "schedule": "daily",\n "priority": 10,\n "output": "md",\n "hook": {"post": "noop_test"}\n}\n\nTest prompt'
240
+
'{\n "title": "Noop",\n "schedule": "daily",\n "priority": 10,\n "output": "md",\n "hook": {"post": "noop_test"},\n "instructions": {"system": "journal", "sources": {"audio": true, "screen": true}}\n}\n\nTest prompt'
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)
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hook_file = muse_dir / "noop_test.py"
···
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prompt_file = muse_dir / "broken_test.md"
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prompt_file.write_text(
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'{\n "title": "Broken",\n "schedule": "daily",\n "priority": 10,\n "output": "md",\n "hook": {"post": "broken_test"}\n}\n\nTest prompt'
290
+
'{\n "title": "Broken",\n "schedule": "daily",\n "priority": 10,\n "output": "md",\n "hook": {"post": "broken_test"},\n "instructions": {"system": "journal", "sources": {"audio": true, "screen": true}}\n}\n\nTest prompt'
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)
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hook_file = muse_dir / "broken_test.py"
···
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prompt_file = muse_dir / "prehooked_test.md"
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prompt_file.write_text(
577
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'{\n "title": "Prehooked",\n "schedule": "daily",\n "priority": 10,\n "output": "md",\n "hook": {"pre": "prehooked_test"}\n}\n\nOriginal prompt'
577
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'{\n "title": "Prehooked",\n "schedule": "daily",\n "priority": 10,\n "output": "md",\n "hook": {"pre": "prehooked_test"},\n "instructions": {"system": "journal", "sources": {"audio": true, "screen": true}}\n}\n\nOriginal prompt'
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)
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hook_file = muse_dir / "prehooked_test.py"
···
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prompt_file = muse_dir / "both_hooks_test.md"
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prompt_file.write_text(
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'{\n "title": "Both Hooks",\n "schedule": "daily",\n "priority": 10,\n "output": "md",\n "hook": {"pre": "both_hooks_test", "post": "both_hooks_test"}\n}\n\nOriginal prompt'
637
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'{\n "title": "Both Hooks",\n "schedule": "daily",\n "priority": 10,\n "output": "md",\n "hook": {"pre": "both_hooks_test", "post": "both_hooks_test"},\n "instructions": {"system": "journal", "sources": {"audio": true, "screen": true}}\n}\n\nOriginal prompt'
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)
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hook_file = muse_dir / "both_hooks_test.py"
+10
-17
tests/test_think_utils.py
+10
-17
tests/test_think_utils.py
···
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class TestComposeInstructions:
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"""Tests for compose_instructions function."""
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-
def test_default_system_instruction_is_journal(self, monkeypatch, tmp_path):
719
-
"""Test that default system instruction loads from journal.md."""
720
-
# Create journal.md in think/ directory
718
+
def test_default_system_instruction_is_none(self, monkeypatch, tmp_path):
719
+
"""Test that default system instruction is empty (agents must opt-in)."""
721
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think_dir = tmp_path / "think"
722
721
think_dir.mkdir()
723
-
journal_txt = think_dir / "journal.md"
724
-
journal_txt.write_text("Test system instruction content")
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-
# Mock the think module's parent to use our temp dir
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import think.utils
728
724
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original_file = think.utils.__file__
···
736
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monkeypatch.setattr(think.utils, "__file__", original_file)
737
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734
assert "system_instruction" in result
739
-
assert result["system_prompt_name"] == "journal"
735
+
assert result["system_instruction"] == ""
736
+
assert result["system_prompt_name"] == ""
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def test_custom_system_instruction(self, monkeypatch, tmp_path):
742
739
"""Test that custom system prompt can be loaded."""
···
851
848
assert "Current Date and Time" in result["extra_context"]
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849
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def test_sources_returned_from_defaults(self, monkeypatch, tmp_path):
854
-
"""Test that sources config is returned with defaults."""
851
+
"""Test that sources config is returned with defaults (all false)."""
855
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think_dir = tmp_path / "think"
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think_dir.mkdir()
857
-
journal_txt = think_dir / "journal.md"
858
-
journal_txt.write_text("System instruction")
859
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import think.utils
861
856
···
865
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result = compose_instructions()
866
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867
862
assert "sources" in result
868
-
assert result["sources"]["audio"] is True
869
-
assert result["sources"]["screen"] is True
863
+
assert result["sources"]["audio"] is False
864
+
assert result["sources"]["screen"] is False
870
865
assert result["sources"]["agents"] is False
871
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867
def test_sources_can_be_overridden(self, monkeypatch, tmp_path):
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"""Test that sources config can be overridden."""
874
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think_dir = tmp_path / "think"
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think_dir.mkdir()
876
-
journal_txt = think_dir / "journal.md"
877
-
journal_txt.write_text("System instruction")
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import think.utils
880
873
···
883
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result = compose_instructions(
885
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config_overrides={
886
-
"sources": {"audio": False, "agents": True},
879
+
"sources": {"audio": True, "agents": True},
887
880
},
888
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)
889
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890
-
assert result["sources"]["audio"] is False
891
-
assert result["sources"]["screen"] is True # Default preserved
883
+
assert result["sources"]["audio"] is True # Overridden
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+
assert result["sources"]["screen"] is False # Default preserved
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assert result["sources"]["agents"] is True # Overridden
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+15
-11
think/utils.py
+15
-11
think/utils.py
···
1047
1047
return agent_dir, agent_name
1048
1048
1049
1049
1050
-
# Default instruction configuration
1050
+
# Default instruction configuration - all false, agents must explicitly opt-in
1051
1051
_DEFAULT_INSTRUCTIONS = {
1052
-
"system": "journal",
1053
-
"facets": True,
1052
+
"system": None,
1053
+
"facets": False,
1054
1054
"sources": {
1055
-
"audio": True,
1056
-
"screen": True,
1055
+
"audio": False,
1056
+
"screen": False,
1057
1057
"agents": False,
1058
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},
1059
1059
}
···
1149
1149
1150
1150
result: dict = {}
1151
1151
1152
-
# Load system instruction
1153
-
system_name = cfg.get("system", "journal")
1154
-
system_prompt = load_prompt(system_name)
1155
-
result["system_instruction"] = system_prompt.text
1156
-
result["system_prompt_name"] = system_name
1152
+
# Load system instruction (None means no system prompt)
1153
+
system_name = cfg.get("system")
1154
+
if system_name:
1155
+
system_prompt = load_prompt(system_name)
1156
+
result["system_instruction"] = system_prompt.text
1157
+
result["system_prompt_name"] = system_name
1158
+
else:
1159
+
result["system_instruction"] = ""
1160
+
result["system_prompt_name"] = ""
1157
1161
1158
1162
# Load user instruction if specified
1159
1163
if user_prompt:
···
1166
1170
# Build extra_context based on facets setting
1167
1171
# Values: false (skip), true (names only), "full" (with descriptions)
1168
1172
extra_parts = []
1169
-
facets_setting = cfg.get("facets", True)
1173
+
facets_setting = cfg.get("facets", False)
1170
1174
facets_full = facets_setting == "full"
1171
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1172
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if facets_setting: