@mathieuhq: SOUL.md is probably the most underrated file in Hermes people spend hours installing 50 skills, connecting their tools,…

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Summary

A developer shares that SOUL.md is an underrated file in Hermes, arguing that defining an agent's personality precisely matters more than installing skills or tools. They offer practical guidelines for writing an effective SOUL.md with 30-80 targeted lines.

SOUL.md is probably the most underrated file in Hermes people spend hours installing 50 skills, connecting their tools, and setting up their memory and in the file that literally defines their agent's personality, they write: "be helpful, professional, and concise" might as well leave it blank lmao the model is already trying to do that by default your SOUL.md has to explain precisely: - who your agent is - the principles it must never bypass - its opinions on the topics it handles - how it really talks - what it masters and when it needs to shut up - what it refuses to do - what it can remember about you - the phrases you never want to see in its responses no need to write a 300-line constitution 30 to 80 precise lines are more than enough the goal is to recognize your agent after three sentences without even seeing its name it's one of the first files I'd recommend working on seriously when you install Hermes
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SOUL.md is probably the most underrated file in Hermes

people spend hours installing 50 skills, connecting their tools, and setting up their memory

and in the file that literally defines their agent’s personality, they write:

“be helpful, professional, and concise”

might as well leave it blank lmao

the model is already trying to do that by default

your SOUL.md has to explain precisely:

  • who your agent is
  • the principles it must never bypass
  • its opinions on the topics it handles
  • how it really talks
  • what it masters and when it needs to shut up
  • what it refuses to do
  • what it can remember about you
  • the phrases you never want to see in its responses

no need to write a 300-line constitution

30 to 80 precise lines are more than enough

the goal is to recognize your agent after three sentences without even seeing its name

it’s one of the first files I’d recommend working on seriously when you install Hermes

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