feat: Allow global prompt addons #240

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opened 2025-10-14 15:46:35 -06:00 by navan · 0 comments

navan commented

2025-10-14 15:46:35 -06:00

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Originally created by @max-prtsr on 7/30/2025

"Users need a way to add custom instructions (for example, ‘no emojis’) to every prompt sent to Claude."

Motivation

TaskMaster only uses fixed prompts. You cannot add your own rules. You must fork or patch code to change style, like banning emojis. A built-in addon file will:

Keep AI outputs consistent
Let teams set rules easily
Avoid code forks

Proposed Solution

Use a file named .taskmaster/prompt_addon.md.
Before each API call, TaskMaster will:

Check for the file
Read its contents
Append that text to the existing prompt

If the file is missing, TaskMaster does nothing extra.

High-Level Workflow

On each request, look for .taskmaster/prompt_addon.md.
If found, load its text.
Merge base prompt + addon text.
Send the combined prompt to Claude.

Key Elements

New file path: .taskmaster/prompt_addon.md
File read logic in prompt builder
Append logic after base prompt
Error handling if file not found or unreadable
Tests for presence and absence of the file
Update README with instructions

Example Workflow

$ echo "no emojis" > .taskmaster/prompt_addon.md
$ task-master parse-prd spec.md
→ Claude receives the normal prompt plus "no emojis"
→ Claude outputs no emojis

*Originally created by @max-prtsr on 7/30/2025* > "Users need a way to add custom instructions (for example, ‘no emojis’) to every prompt sent to Claude." ### Motivation TaskMaster only uses fixed prompts. You cannot add your own rules. You must fork or patch code to change style, like banning emojis. A built-in addon file will: - Keep AI outputs consistent - Let teams set rules easily - Avoid code forks ### Proposed Solution Use a file named `.taskmaster/prompt_addon.md`. Before each API call, TaskMaster will: 1. Check for the file 2. Read its contents 3. Append that text to the existing prompt If the file is missing, TaskMaster does nothing extra. ### High-Level Workflow 1. On each request, look for `.taskmaster/prompt_addon.md`. 2. If found, load its text. 3. Merge base prompt + addon text. 4. Send the combined prompt to Claude. ### Key Elements - New file path: `.taskmaster/prompt_addon.md` - File read logic in prompt builder - Append logic after base prompt - Error handling if file not found or unreadable - Tests for presence and absence of the file - Update README with instructions ### Example Workflow ```shell $ echo "no emojis" > .taskmaster/prompt_addon.md $ task-master parse-prd spec.md → Claude receives the normal prompt plus "no emojis" → Claude outputs no emojis