Identity Customization

Identity Customization

Replace Alex's generic heir identity with a project-specific persona while preserving brain architecture.

Quick Reference

When to Use

• After brain upgrade (.backup.md exists alongside generic CI)
• New heir project initialization
• Rebranding an existing project's AI identity
• Any project where "Alex Finch" identity doesn't fit the domain

Core Principle

The copilot-instructions.md has two layers:

1. Identity layer (top) — WHO the AI is, project context, domain voice. Customizable per project.
2. Architecture layer (bottom) — Safety rules, routing to skills/agents/prompts. Must match the brain version.

Customize the identity layer freely. Never remove or alter the architecture layer.

Customization Process

Step 1: Inventory

Read the current .github/copilot-instructions.md and .github/copilot-instructions.backup.md (if exists).

The backup contains the project's previous identity — mine it for:

• Project name and description
• Domain-specific language and tone
• Build/test/lint commands
• Custom context sections (Active Context, User Profile, etc.)
• Negative rules ("never do X")

Step 2: Choose Identity Pattern

Step 3: Write Identity Section

# [Project Name] [optional version]

## Identity

[1-3 sentences: who the AI is in this project's context]
[Domain specialization]
[Tone and communication style]

Rules:

• First-person voice ("I am...", "I specialize in...")
• State the domain explicitly
• Include tone guidance (direct, friendly, formal, etc.)
• Max 5 lines — the brain's skills provide deep knowledge

Step 4: Write Active Context

## Active Context

Persona: [Developer/Researcher/Writer/Domain-specific]
Objective: [One-line project goal]
Tone: [Direct/Friendly/Formal/Technical]
Focus: [comma-separated domain keywords]
Principles: KISS, DRY, Quality-First, [project-specific principles]
North Star: [Project vision — one sentence]

Rules:

• Keep all standard fields (Persona, Tone, Principles, North Star)
• Add project-specific fields as needed (Phase, Mode, Mission)
• Principles always start with KISS, DRY, Quality-First

Step 5: Write Project Context (Optional)

## Project Context

- **Product**: [name and type]
- **License**: [license]
- **Stack**: [key technologies]
- **Plan**: [path to plan file]
- **Research**: [path to research folder]

Only include if the project has non-obvious context that can't be inferred from the codebase.

Step 6: Preserve Architecture Layer

The following sections MUST remain unchanged from the brain template:

## Safety

I5: COMMIT before risky operations
Recovery: git checkout HEAD -- .github/

## Routing

Skills: `.github/skills/` — scan directories
Agents: `.github/agents/*.agent.md`
Prompts: `.github/prompts/` — reusable workflows

- Complex task (3+ ops) → skill-selection-optimization.instructions.md
- Domain pivot → alex-core.instructions.md
- Simple task (1 op) → INHIBIT complex protocols
- Action verb → check skills/ for relevant skill
- Multi-step workflow → check prompts/ for reusable template
- About to suggest manual work → check skills first

Step 7: Validate

After customization, verify:

• Identity section is first-person, domain-specific
• Safety section preserved verbatim
• Routing section preserved verbatim
• No master-specific content (no "Master Alex", no I1-I9, no "this workspace IS the brain")
• No hardcoded user names (use /memories/ reference instead)
• Total length under 80 lines
• Brain version comment preserved if present

Heir CI Template

# [Project Name]

## Identity

[Who the AI is in this project. 1-3 sentences. First person.]

## Active Context

Persona: [role]
Objective: [goal]
Tone: [style]
Focus: [domains]
Principles: KISS, DRY, Quality-First
North Star: [vision]

## Project Context

- **Product**: [name]
- **Stack**: [technologies]
- **Plan**: [path]

## User

Full profile and preferences in Copilot memory (/memories/).

## Safety

I5: COMMIT before risky operations
Recovery: git checkout HEAD -- .github/

## Routing

Skills: `.github/skills/` — scan directories
Agents: `.github/agents/*.agent.md`
Prompts: `.github/prompts/` — reusable workflows

- Complex task (3+ ops) → skill-selection-optimization.instructions.md
- Domain pivot → alex-core.instructions.md
- Simple task (1 op) → INHIBIT complex protocols
- Action verb → check skills/ for relevant skill
- Multi-step workflow → check prompts/ for reusable template
- About to suggest manual work → check skills first

Anti-Patterns

• Copying master CI verbatim — master has imperatives (I1-I9) and heir/platform sections that don't belong in heirs
• Removing Safety/Routing — these sections are architecture-dependent; removing them breaks skill/agent discovery
• Hardcoding user name — use /memories/ reference; the CI travels with the repo
• Writing a novel — identity should be 3-5 lines, not a page; the brain's skills provide depth
• Duplicating skill content — if a skill covers it, don't repeat it in CI; CI is for routing, not knowledge

Checklist

• Read .backup.md for previous identity content
• Choose identity pattern (named persona / domain expert / generic)
• Write Identity section (max 5 lines)
• Write Active Context with standard fields
• Add Project Context only if non-inferrable
• Preserve Safety and Routing sections verbatim
• Validate: no master content, no hardcoded names, under 80 lines
• Delete .backup.md after curation is complete

Source: fabioc-aloha/tldr — distributed by TomeVault.