# Context files: give a project durable instructions

> Keep project rules, conventions, and operating boundaries in files that Hermes can discover from the working directory.

Canonical: https://hermeswatcher.com/tools/context-files  
Kind: Capability · Development & operations  
Last reviewed: Oct 19, 2026  
Basis: Explained from the official Hermes Agent docs and repository (Nous Research). Steps follow the linked official sources.

## What it is for

Context files are a good place for instructions a project should carry into future sessions: where outputs belong, how to run checks, what needs approval, and which sources are authoritative. Official documentation describes several supported filenames and precedence rules. It also distinguishes global personality from project instructions. Keep the project file short enough to guide work, and link to detailed references rather than reproducing an entire manual.

## What you need

- A known working directory and the correct repository or project boundary.
- Permission to edit the intended instruction file without changing unrelated shared or global configuration.

## Setting it up

1. Inspect existing context files first and determine which type Hermes actually selects; similarly named files do not necessarily combine.
2. Write concrete rules with examples of valid output and necessary checks. Separate durable conventions from dated task status and record the owner of exceptions.

## How to check it works

- Start a session in the project and ask Hermes to identify the active instruction source and its relevant rules.
- Try a small scoped task and inspect whether output location, terminology, and verification match the instructions.

## Limits

- Instructions influence behavior but are not a filesystem access control mechanism.
- Discovery and precedence depend on location and file type. Global personality settings should not be used as a hidden substitute for project-specific operating rules.

## Related workflows

- [Carry project knowledge into the next session](https://hermeswatcher.com/workflows/project-knowledge.md)
- [Build a useful GitHub issue review](https://hermeswatcher.com/workflows/github-issue-review.md)

## Sources

- [Official context files](https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs/user-guide/features/context-files)

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