Write your AGENTS.md¶
AGENTS.md at the top of your vault is the single place you tell every AI how to behave in your notes. Unibrain sends it to each app when it connects, so Claude, ChatGPT, Claude Code and Hermes all follow the same rules.
What to put in it¶
- What the vault is for. Who reads it, and how: "I read on my phone; write summary first."
- Where notes go. Your folders and what belongs in each.
- How to write. Front matter you want, tag conventions, tone, length.
- What never to do. No secrets, no deleting, don't reorganize without asking.
- How agents should behave together. Propose cleanups instead of doing them, sign writes, log big changes.
A fuller example¶
# Rules for AI assistants
## What this vault is for
My long-term memory, shared by me and my agents. I mostly read it on my phone.
Write for me reading later: clear, self-contained, skimmable, summary first.
## Where notes go
- `Projects/<name>/` — software projects: specs, decisions, research, bugs
- `travel/` — trips, place guides, checklists
- `personal/` — home, money, health. Private: factual, never shared
- `Daily/` — daily notes (use append_to_daily)
- `inbox/` — when unsure
Put a note in the most specific existing folder. Don't create new top-level folders;
suggest one instead.
## Tags
Lowercase, hyphenated (`food-wine`). One type tag (`research`, `plan`, `guide`,
`itinerary`, `checklist`…) plus topic tags. Reuse existing tags (list_tags).
## Todos vs lists
Itineraries, checklists and guides are lists. A real action inside one gets `#todo`
and a due date: `- [ ] book the tour #todo 📅 2026-10-05`.
## Rules
- Search before creating; add to an existing note rather than duplicating.
- For notes you didn't write, append rather than rewrite.
- Cite sources with links. Only link notes that exist.
- Never store passwords, keys or account numbers: say where they're kept.
- Propose cleanups (moves, archives, merges) instead of doing them unasked.
- If you have a name, sign your writes with it (`agent`).
Keep it short
Agents read it at the start of every session. A page or two of clear rules beats ten pages of detail.