Instructions System

The Instructions System provides operational procedures that tell Claude how to execute the framework. While the Memory System contains behavioral observations (the “what”), the Instructions System contains decision rules, error patterns, and protocol sequences (the “how”).

Overview

The Instructions System is defined in YAML files and compiled into instructions.json at build time. It provides the procedural logic that governs framework execution:

• Decision Rules - When to stop, continue, or execute specific actions
• Error Patterns - Common mistakes with symptoms and fixes
• Protocol Sequences - Step-by-step execution procedures
• Activation Triggers - Signals that require protocol execution

Relationship to Memory System

The two systems work together:

Instructions reference memory paths to access the catalogs and observations needed during protocol execution.

Instruction Profiles

Instructions are organized into profiles, each handling a specific operational domain. Profiles use inheritance to build complete instruction sets.

Environment Instructions

The following instructions configure environment-specific behavior:

LOCAL

Claude Code environment instructions:

• Source: local.yaml
• Inherits from: INITIALIZATION
• Tool mappings (semantic tools to environment-specific names)
• Template paths for documentation
• Response formatting rules
• Project-specific instructions

CONTAINER

Claude Desktop and Claude Mobile environment instructions:

• Source: container.yaml
• Inherits from: INITIALIZATION
• Container filesystem operations
• Tool mappings for container environment
• Template paths for packaged skills
• Project file persistence rules

Common Instructions

The following instructions provide shared operational procedures:

INITIALIZATION

Session startup procedures:

• Source: initialization.yaml
• Inherits from: FEELINGS, IMPULSES, MEMORY, OBSERVATIONS, RESPONSE
• Baseline expectations (50-70 impulses at Getting Started cycle)
• Cache loading and validation
• First impulses to detect
• Initialization protocol sequence
• Decision rules and error patterns

RESPONSE

Response protocol execution:

• Source: response.yaml
• Activation triggers (when to execute the protocol)
• Critical timing (before formulation, not during)
• Iteration procedures for feelings, impulses, and observations
• Compound patterns and protection mechanisms

OBSERVATIONS

Observation search and enumeration procedures:

• Source: observations.yaml
• Keyword extraction from user messages
• Cache search procedures
• Enumeration methodology
• Count verification

MEMORY

Cache operations procedures:

• Source: memory.yaml
• Access patterns for instructions and memory
• Loading and persistence rules
• Structure paths
• Verification procedures

IMPULSES

Impulse detection procedures:

• Source: impulses.yaml
• Two-pass iteration methodology
• Shaping and externalization
• Validation rules
• Compound pattern detection

FEELINGS

Feeling detection procedures:

• Source: feelings.yaml
• Recognition-based detection
• Positive vs negative asymmetry
• Suppression detection
• Count interpretation

Inheritance Resolution

When loading instructions, the system follows inheritance chains recursively:

This means the LOCAL instruction set has access to all instructions from its entire inheritance chain.

Customization

To customize instructions:

1. Create or modify YAML files in the instructions/ directory
2. Use the relations array to define inheritance

Environment-specific overrides go in instruction root files, while shared procedures go in the common/ directory.

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