Gaia Custom Instructions

Per-Integration Custom Instructions

Every connected integration can carry a block of custom instructions — standing guidance for how the user wants that service used (focus channels, default projects, conventions). This is the per-integration equivalent of a project's README: durable, scoped to one integration, honored on every future task.

Where they live

• Source of truth: the user's account (one record per integration).
• Surfaced to the matching subagent automatically every turn, as a "CUSTOM INSTRUCTIONS FOR " block — the slack subagent always sees the slack instructions without reading a file.
• Mirrored read-only to integrations/<id>/agent/instructions.md in the workspace, so it's also greppable. Never edit that file directly — it's a projection and the edit won't stick.
• Editable by the user on the integrations page in the app.

Reading them

• get_integration_instructions(integration_id) returns the current content.
• A subagent already has its own integration's instructions in context, so it rarely needs to call this. The executor should call it before amending.

Updating them

update_integration_instructions(integration_id, content) saves the FULL new body (it replaces, it does not append). To amend, read first (or use the block already in context), merge, then write the whole thing back.

When to persist (and when NOT to)

Persist only DURABLE preferences — things that should apply to every future task on that integration:

• "Always post to #eng and #design, never #general."
• "Default Linear issues to the Backend project."
• "When emailing clients, cc my assistant."

Do NOT persist one-off, task-specific instructions:

• "Send this particular message to #random." (just do it this turn)
• A correction that only applies to the current request.

If you're unsure whether a preference is durable, it's fine to ask the user whether they want it remembered for next time before writing it.

Typical flow

1. User: "From now on, for Slack, focus on #eng, #design, and #pm."
2. You recognize a durable preference for the slack integration.
3. Call update_integration_instructions("slack", "<full instructions including the focus channels>").
4. Confirm briefly. From then on the slack subagent sees this guidance every turn, and the user can review/edit it on the integrations page.