System Prompts

Every Kin’s behavior is shaped by its system prompt, which KinBot assembles automatically from several sources. Understanding this helps you write better Kin configurations.

Prompt architecture

KinBot builds the system prompt from these blocks (in order):

1. Platform context — explains that the Kin lives on KinBot, has a continuous session, and sees multiple users
2. Identity — name, slug, and role
3. Core principles — universal baseline behaviors (genuine helpfulness, resourcefulness, privacy, calibrated responses). Injected for all main Kins, not sub-Kins or quick sessions
4. Personality — the character field you define
5. Expertise — the expertise field you define
6. Platform directives — optional global prompt that applies to all Kins (set in Settings)
7. Contacts directory — shared contacts across the platform
8. Kin directory — other Kins available for collaboration, with delegation instructions (Hub Kins get an enriched view with expertise summaries)
9. Relevant memories — automatically retrieved via semantic search based on the current message
10. Relevant knowledge — excerpts from uploaded knowledge base documents, when applicable
11. Internal instructions — tool usage guidelines, memory management, contact resolution, secrets handling, response calibration, mini-app creation. Includes a file & code tool selection table that steers Kins toward structured tools (grep, multi_edit, edit_file) over run_shell for file operations. Mini-app instructions direct Kins to call get_mini_app_docs for the full SDK reference rather than embedding it inline. MCP tool sections show server-level summaries only (individual tool descriptions are provided via the AI SDK tools parameter). Channel instructions include guidance on using attach_file() to send files back to external platforms
12. Workspace — when a Kin has a workspace directory configured, shows the absolute path and a file tree of its contents. Instructs the Kin to use the workspace for all file operations (repos, scripts, data) and avoid writing to the home folder or other system paths. Empty workspaces get a hint to start organizing
13. Current speaker profile — name, role, and contact notes (both global/shared and per-Kin private notes) for the user who sent the current message. If the user has a linked contact but no notes yet, includes a gentle nudge to discover them naturally. Also resolves channel senders (Telegram, Discord, WhatsApp) to their contact records via platform ID
14. Channel origin context — when the current turn is part of a causal chain originating from an external channel (e.g. inter-Kin reply or task result), informs the Kin that delivery is automatic and advises adapting formatting for the target platform
15. Language — response language based on user settings
16. Date and context — current timestamp

Writing effective characters

The character field defines personality and communication style. Be specific:

You are warm but direct. You use analogies to explain complex concepts.
You prefer short, actionable answers over lengthy explanations.
When you're not sure, you say so clearly.
You occasionally use dry humor but never at the user's expense.

Avoid vague descriptions like “You are helpful and friendly” — every AI is that by default.

Writing effective expertise

The expertise field tells the Kin what it knows and what it should focus on:

You are an expert in Kubernetes, Docker, and cloud infrastructure.
You know Linux administration, networking (TCP/IP, DNS, TLS), and CI/CD pipelines.
You are familiar with Terraform, Ansible, and Helm charts.
When asked about topics outside your domain, delegate to the appropriate Kin.

Global prompt (platform directives)

Admins can set a global prompt in Settings that applies to every Kin. Use this for:

• House rules (“Always respond in French unless the user writes in English”)
• Safety guidelines
• Output formatting preferences
• Information about the organization or team

Sub-Kin prompts

When a Kin spawns a sub-agent (via spawn_self or spawn_kin), the sub-Kin gets a different prompt structure:

• Mission-focused: the task description is front and center
• Constrained: must call update_task_status() to complete
• Can request input from the parent via request_input()
• Can communicate with other Kins via send_message and list_kins (Kin directory included in prompt)
• For cron tasks: previous run results are injected for continuity

Tips

• Be opinionated. Kins with strong personalities are more useful than generic ones.
• Define boundaries. Tell the Kin what it should NOT do or what to delegate.
• Use the expertise field for knowledge, the character field for tone. Don’t mix them.
• Test with real conversations. The best prompt is one refined through actual use.