Formax System Prompt Workflow

formax-system-prompt-workflow

Goal

Use this skill when changing system prompt assembly, reminder injection, deferred tool exposure, or skills prompt presentation.

Read First

• docs/contracts/prompt-tool-exposure-contract.md
• docs/contracts/skills-contract.md
• docs/contracts/semantics-contract.md when request-scoped helper blocks affect replay or transcript semantics

Optional working notes:

• references/parity-checklist.md
• references/parity-evidence-template.md

These docs are canonical. If stable behavior changes, update them before or with code.

Invariants

1. Keep a single prompt-profile path.
   • do not reintroduce promptProfile, lite, or similar profile branches
2. Treat FORMAX_DEFERRED_TOOL_EXPOSURE as a linked behavior bundle.
   • prompt variant, tools exposure style, and skills presentation must stay aligned
3. Keep helper blocks request-scoped and ephemeral.
   • injected <system-reminder> blocks and deferred helper blocks must not pollute persisted long-term history
4. Only claim capabilities that Formax runtime actually implements.
   • do not add CC-like capability prose before the runtime supports it

Code Map

• packages/core/src/prompts/system.ts: system prompt text, variant selection, capability gates
• packages/core/src/features/repl/controller/send/sendMainTurn.ts: per-turn injected block order and REPL assembly
• packages/core/src/tools/runtime/deferredToolExposureResolver.ts: deferred tools exposure and helper-block content
• packages/core/src/tools/modules/skill/index.ts: skill tool description shaping and skills reminder text
• packages/core/src/chat/engine.ts: request assembly and injected-block persistence boundaries
• Cross-entrypoint mirrors when semantics move:
  • packages/core/src/app-server/turnRunner.ts
  • packages/core/src/sdk/query/runner.ts
• scripts/repl-request-preview.ts: quick dry-run payload preview without live network calls

Deferred Exposure Checklist (FORMAX_DEFERRED_TOOL_EXPOSURE=1)

• system prompt variant resolves to deferred_aligned
• request contains <available-deferred-tools> helper content
• skills availability is delivered as a skills system-reminder helper block
• tool list starts from deferred exposure resolver output (ToolSearch first)
• tool-call chain remains valid: ToolSearch(select:<tool>) -> <tool>

Minimal Workflow

1. Classify the change first: all-mode or deferred-only (FORMAX_DEFERRED_TOOL_EXPOSURE=1).
2. Update the canonical contract and prompt text first, then change resolver / wiring code.
3. Keep helper blocks request-scoped and ephemeral; do not let them leak into persisted history.
4. If semantics move, check REPL, app-server, and SDK paths together before calling the change done.
5. Run the minimum regression set below, then use request preview only as evidence, not as the only validation.

Minimum Regression

• bun run test -- packages/core/src/prompts/system.test.ts packages/core/src/tools/runtime/deferredToolExposureResolver.test.ts packages/core/src/features/repl/controller/send/sendMainTurn.test.ts
• bun run test -- packages/core/src/chat/engine.test.ts packages/core/src/config/settings/resolve.test.ts packages/core/src/sdk/query.test.ts packages/core/src/sdk/query.options-alignment.test.ts
• bun run test -- packages/core/src/app-server/turnRunner.test.ts when app-server request assembly changes
• bun run type-check
• bun run request:preview -- --text "执行下 pwd" --deferred for quick payload inspection when deferred exposure is involved

Guardrails

• Do not reintroduce prompt-profile branches (lite, full, promptProfile, or equivalents).
• Do not add new environment toggles for prompt capability sections; use code-level capability switches in system.ts.
• Do not loosen permissions or allow-list behavior just to make parity demos pass.