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Copilot for Obsidian

AGENTS.md Examples for Agent Chat

AGENTS.md holds instructions that Agent Chat should keep following. Write shared vault rules once at the vault root. Copilot makes them available to opencode, Claude, and Codex. A Project can add a second AGENTS.md in its folder, and those more specific rules take precedence when the two files conflict.

Start small. A useful file describes how your vault works, not everything an AI might ever need to know.

Starter AGENTS.md for an Obsidian vault

Copy this to the root of your vault, then change it to match your habits:

# Vault instructions


## Working style


- Lead with the result, then explain only what helps me act on it.
- If a request is ambiguous in a way that changes the outcome, ask before proceeding.
- Use available skills for repeatable workflows instead of improvising the process.


## Notes


- Treat this vault as a knowledge base, not a software repository.
- Read a note before making claims about its contents.
- Preserve existing frontmatter, wikilinks, embeds, and formatting unless I ask for changes.
- Use `[[Note Title]]` for links between notes.
- Make the smallest change that completes the request.


## Safety and completion


- Ask before deleting notes, moving many files, or publishing anything outside the vault.
- Never place passwords, API keys, or private note content in external services without permission.
- When finished, name the notes you changed and mention anything you could not verify.

Start a new Agent Chat after editing AGENTS.md so every backend reads the latest version. Quick Chat has its own system prompts and does not use this file.

Patterns worth adding

Add only patterns that describe real, recurring preferences:

  • Organization: where meeting notes, sources, drafts, and finished work belong.
  • Naming: date formats, title conventions, tags, and required properties.
  • Evidence: when the agent must read source notes, search the vault, or verify current facts.
  • Boundaries: which edits are routine and which actions require confirmation.
  • Definition of done: checks to run and what the final handoff should report.
  • Routing: which repeatable jobs belong to a Skill.

For a project, keep the override short. For example:

# Project instructions


- Write deliverables to `outputs/`.
- Use a concise, client-ready tone.
- Cite the project sources used for factual claims.
- Do not modify source notes unless I ask.

External examples worth studying

What not to copy blindly

  • Another person’s folder paths, tool names, account identity, or publishing workflow.
  • Broad permission or deletion rules you would not want applied to your own vault.
  • Long step-by-step procedures that should be a skill.
  • Coding, test, and release rules when the scope is ordinary note work.
  • Secrets or private information. Agents can read AGENTS.md; treat it as normal vault content.

Review the file occasionally. Keep rules that prevent a recurring mistake or express a real preference, and remove generic advice that does not change the agent’s behavior.