SOUL.md, AGENTS.md, and workspace files

Find formats and templates in the workspace file reference. Files have different roles and management paths; saving one does not mean it automatically applies to every conversation.

Reading and application

• Instruct the Agent to read needed files or explicitly read them with filesystem MCP/CLI. The Portal does not control per-session automatic injection lists.
• Instructions supply context; writing a shell command, transfer, or deletion in a file does not automatically execute it or technically enforce approvals and access limits. Follow organization policy.
• Long bootstrap files may be truncated by context limits. Put essential rules first and reference separate detailed procedures from AGENTS.md.
• Changes do not retroactively alter an in-progress response. Check restart requirements and verify with a new conversation.

File roles and management

File	Purpose	Management
SOUL.md	Role, tone, behavior boundaries	Agent → target Agent → Configuration
AGENTS.md	Repeated workflows and operating rules	No direct Portal editor; request a scoped, authorized Agent change
TOOLS.md	Tool conventions	No direct Portal editor; request a scoped, authorized Agent change
IDENTITY.md, USER.md	Introduction and collaboration preferences	Agent file permissions and organization policy
MEMORY.md, memory/*.md	Long-term decisions and daily/topic records	Specify retention and deletion scope
BOOTSTRAP.md	One-time workspace introduction	Follow the bootstrap reference after setup
HEARTBEAT.md	Short periodic checks	First verify heartbeat actually runs on the Agent

Edit SOUL.md

1. Open the target in Agent.
2. Expand Configuration and read the SOUL.md preview.
3. Select Edit and update only the needed role, allowed scope, prohibitions, and output format.
4. Select Save and check the success message.
5. Reopen the preview and confirm Security Policy and Sub-Agent Delegation sections remain or have been added.
6. Check Agent status and a small read-only request in a new Room. Inspect warnings and restartFailed; saving does not prove restart completion.

Default security and delegation instructions may be preserved or supplemented on save.

When additional editing tools are available

The configuration card may also show AI editing and expand controls. If they are absent, use the edit-and-save procedure above. Before applying AI-edited content, review the changes and preservation of existing instructions. After saving, verify Agent status and the result as described above.

AGENTS.md and TOOLS.md

New Agents may receive default operating instructions. These are workspace documents that authorized file tools can read and update. Review defaults and change only what is necessary.

SOUL.md is supplied by runtime configuration for persona and security boundaries. AGENTS.md and TOOLS.md are workspace documents after first boot. Only SOUL.md editing is currently exposed in Portal Config.

Do not ask an Agent to overwrite every instruction. Establish purpose, target file, rules to preserve, secret exclusions, and reviewer, then obtain the organization's supported workspace-change procedure.

Where content belongs

Content	File	Example
Tone, role, uncertainty handling	SOUL.md	Separate confirmed deployment facts from open questions
Repeated work procedure	AGENTS.md	Check authorization and impact before external changes
Tool-specific convention	TOOLS.md	Confirm the account before opening a customer system
Stable team preferences	USER.md or MEMORY.md	Respond in Korean with a summary followed by open questions
Daily investigations and long records	memory/*.md	Dated deployment-event investigation
One-time setup	BOOTSTRAP.md	Workspace introduction and initial checks

Never store secrets, passwords, API keys, OAuth tokens, or unnecessary customer originals in workspace files. Use Credentials and dedicated secret inputs.

Scoped requests and verification

Propose only the output-format section of SOUL.md. Preserve existing security instructions and show the draft first.

Record a lasting team preference as one line in MEMORY.md. Exclude credentials, personal identifiers, and customer originals.

Requests still require tool policy and actual file permissions; they do not guarantee a write. The Portal cannot directly verify AGENTS.md, TOOLS.md, or MEMORY.md. Review important changes using the organization's procedure and verification artifacts.

Check which file changed, whether its management path is supported, whether security and tenant boundaries are preserved, and whether a new test Room confirms behavior after status stabilizes. Keep detailed manuals separate from short workspace rules.