Prefer Tools Over Prompts
AGENT-PREFER-TOOLS-OVER-PROMPTS
Summary
Move repeated instructions into tools, checks, templates, or durable guides. Tooling catches failures even when prompts are short, compacted, or interpreted differently.
Rule
Prefer tools and checks over repeated prompting.
Why
If the same instruction must be repeated to every agent, it belongs in a tool, check, template, or guide. Tools reduce memory burden and catch failures even when the prompt is short, compacted, or interpreted differently.
Helps
- Converts repeated steering into durable enforcement and frees human attention for ambiguous decisions.
Limits
Not every preference should become a tool. Keep judgment-heavy guidance as prose when automation would reject valid cases or create busywork.
Agent Instruction
Prefer tools and checks over repeated prompting; put repeated instructions in a tool, check,
template, or guide.Mechanisms
Supported by lint configs, generators, test helpers, CI gates, templates, snippets, repo scripts, and audit commands.