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Project Instructions

Summary

  • Settings → Projects now includes a per-project Project Instructions field.
  • Stave prepends this text to every Claude and Codex turn for the selected project so repository-specific rules do not need to be repeated in each task.

Settings dialog showing the Project Instructions field for the current repository

This rendered example shows the Settings → Projects section with repository-level instructions, workspace bootstrap settings, and project defaults in one place.

When To Use It

  • Use it when one repository has durable AI guidance such as tooling preferences, review rules, or architectural constraints.
  • Use prompt-level instructions instead when the rule applies only to one task or one conversation.
  • Use global prompt settings when the same formatting rule should apply across every project.

Before You Start

  • Open a project in Stave so it appears under Settings → Projects.
  • Keep the text short and durable. This field is best for stable repository rules, not temporary task notes.

Quick Start

  1. Open Settings.
  2. Go to Projects and select the repository.
  3. Add text in Project Instructions.
  4. Save the field and send a normal Claude or Codex turn in that project.

Interface Walkthrough

Entry Points

  • Settings → Projects
  • The per-project Project Settings card

Key Controls

  • Project Instructions: repository-level guidance prepended to every Claude and Codex turn in that project
  • Post-Create Command: worktree bootstrap command for new workspaces
  • Reuse Root node_modules: shared dependency install toggle for new workspaces

Common Workflows

Create Or Configure Something

  1. Select the repository in Settings → Projects.
  2. Enter rules such as package manager preference, test requirements, or documentation policy.
  3. Save the field. The value is persisted with that project's local Stave registry entry.

Run Or Verify Something

  1. Send a new task message in the same project.
  2. Ask the model to follow a rule covered by the saved project instructions.
  3. Confirm that the response follows the saved repository guidance without restating it in the user prompt.

Files And Data

  • The value is stored in the recent-project registry entry for that repository.
  • It is applied at turn runtime as the base prompt context for both providers.
{
  "projectPath": "<workspace>/my-repo",
  "projectBasePrompt": "Prefer bun over npm. Keep docs in sync with user-facing changes."
}

Limitations And Advanced Options

  • The field is project-scoped, not workspace-scoped. Every workspace under the same repository shares the same instructions.
  • If you need one-off behavior for a single request, put that instruction in the task prompt instead.

Troubleshooting

The model ignored a repository rule

  • Symptom: a new turn does not follow a rule saved in Project Instructions.
  • Cause: the instruction was saved under another project entry, or the current task is attached to a different repository.
  • Fix: open Settings → Projects, confirm the selected repository path, and verify the text is saved on that exact project.

The instruction keeps changing model output too broadly

  • Symptom: unrelated tasks start over-constraining their responses.
  • Cause: the saved prompt contains task-specific guidance instead of durable repository rules.
  • Fix: shorten the field to stable project-wide rules and move temporary directions back into the task prompt.

Related Docs