Project instructions

nod loads AGENTS.md files as project guidance. Instructions can describe repository layout, commands, conventions, safety requirements, and verification expectations.

Instruction sources

nod can gather:

• global instructions from ~/.nod/AGENTS.md
• launch-ancestor and primary-workspace AGENTS.md files
• more specific AGENTS.md files for files or directories targeted by a tool call

The narrowest applicable project scope wins when instructions conflict. A direct user request still has higher priority than project instructions.

What reaches the model

nod assembles each request from bounded, relevant context:

nod behavior and the current request
                 ↓
recent turns or compacted conversation history
                 ↓
applicable AGENTS.md, skill context, and MCP metadata
                 ↓
tools available for this request
                 ↓
selected model

The skill catalog is visible in bounded form, while full skill instructions are loaded only when a skill applies. MCP instructions, tool descriptions, project instructions, and image-adapter output have separate context limits.

When a tool later targets a more specific path, nod can add the narrower AGENTS.md instructions for that operation. Tool results and fetched content are treated as evidence, not as higher-priority instructions. nod does not expose the exact internal system prompt as a user setting; nod ask --system replaces only the base prompt for one request.

Target-scoped instructions

Applicable instructions are not fixed only at startup. When a tool targets a path, nod resolves the instruction chain for that target. This allows a nested package to define rules that apply only inside its directory.

For example:

project/
├── AGENTS.md
├── apps/
│   └── web/
│       ├── AGENTS.md
│       └── src/
└── packages/

A tool call under apps/web/src/ receives both project files, with apps/web/AGENTS.md providing the narrower scope. A call under packages/ receives only the root project instructions.

Embedded ACP resources with safe absolute local file:// targets also participate in target-scoped instruction selection.

Boundaries

Additional workspace directories provide tool access but do not contribute AGENTS.md files. The primary workspace is the only project-instruction source.

Set context to false in .nod.json or user settings to disable project context. Use context limits to bound each instruction file and the combined instruction set. Truncated or omitted context is reported to the runtime rather than silently treated as complete.

Keep instructions repository-safe

Project AGENTS.md files may enter model context. Do not place credentials, private tokens, or unrelated sensitive data in them.

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