translation/source/documents/course/01-first-agent/06-understanding-system-prompts.md

Understanding System Prompts

A good system prompt is crucial as it defines your agent's purpose, capabilities, and behavioral guidelines. It's the foundation that shapes how your agent will interact with users.

A well-crafted system prompt should include:

• Role definition: What the agent is and what it does
• Core capabilities: What tasks the agent can perform
• Behavioral guidelines: How the agent should respond and interact
• Constraints: What the agent should not do or discuss
• Success criteria: What makes the agent's responses good

The system prompt acts as a set of instructions that guide the agent's behavior. It helps the agent understand its purpose and how it should interact with users. A clear and comprehensive system prompt will result in more consistent and helpful agent responses.