The science is the source linked in the second paragraph.
xg15 2 hours ago [-]
On my last project, it kept trying to use the system python instead of the project's virtual environment. It also kept using the wrong build tool. Both things wasted considerable tokens because the agent got sidetracked trying to understand why it could not run the tests - and that repeated on each new session.
A simple instruction in AGENTS.md fixed that.
apwheele 28 minutes ago [-]
This is what the majority of mine look like as well. Just simple instructions for things I need to do repeatedly.
I have not even really needed a formal memory system. If I see an error happen more than once, I just say "hey add a note on this to agents.md". Tends to be verbose but overall works quite well for the projects I am doing.
shim__ 14 minutes ago [-]
It does, it makes it obvious that I'm looking at a vibe slopped project
stuaxo 2 hours ago [-]
It mentions that a chatbot generated AGENTS.md does nothing, which makes sense.
I added one when it kept making the same mistake and using things from the wrong library version making compiler errors, adding in the common mistakes pre emptively.
mathgeek 26 minutes ago [-]
That's what I took away from this as well. Headline is clickbait but at the end of the day there are uses for these instructions.
Computer0 2 hours ago [-]
My agents.md usually becomes do’s don’ts and shortcuts to get to where it needs to be in the code so it doesn’t waste time and context.
Sha1rholder 2 hours ago [-]
“Don’t start off by git diff, git status, or git show” saved me quite a few tokens.
LoganDark 2 hours ago [-]
Just because it doesn't materially impact task success rates does not mean it's not useful. I use that file to give my agent information about the environment (operating system, architecture, command-line utilities I have installed), as well as how to do certain things (such as using `uv` for running Python when needed). I want my agent to work how I do, so I also tell it things like my preferred version control system (jj), my preferred implementation languages for things like shell scripts (zsh), and other things like that. I care more about how the work is done than the final result. It still slips up sometimes, but on the whole I think it works alright. It's not like it fixes tasks that wouldn't be completed at all, but it does help my satisfaction with how they were completed, as well as with the final result. Otherwise, I'd have to do a lot more manual cleanup.
cyanydeez 2 hours ago [-]
I just have it comment on scripts, I've now just started for an app super-run.sh consisting of this pipeline: dev, test, build, e2e, deploy.
All the scripts are designed to bail quickly. They all create a log in the background instead of blocking. They're all annotated with the necessary comments to keep it on path and locate files, track pratfalls, etc.
So any entrypoint to whatever I'm doing typically starts with one of these scripts. It's heavy handed but orientating your agent for the specific task is better than just dumping a whole set of context that will be ignored if it has nothing to do with your very next command.
Telling it how to do a pull request isn't going to help if you're trying to debug a technical issue.
jasonvorhe 29 minutes ago [-]
Too deranged of an AI hater for me to even care to read this.
That's fine. Do what you do. But don't read this article as any sort of science. It's massively opinionated rage-bait.
[0]: https://www.patreon.com/davidgerard
A simple instruction in AGENTS.md fixed that.
I have not even really needed a formal memory system. If I see an error happen more than once, I just say "hey add a note on this to agents.md". Tends to be verbose but overall works quite well for the projects I am doing.
I added one when it kept making the same mistake and using things from the wrong library version making compiler errors, adding in the common mistakes pre emptively.
All the scripts are designed to bail quickly. They all create a log in the background instead of blocking. They're all annotated with the necessary comments to keep it on path and locate files, track pratfalls, etc.
So any entrypoint to whatever I'm doing typically starts with one of these scripts. It's heavy handed but orientating your agent for the specific task is better than just dumping a whole set of context that will be ignored if it has nothing to do with your very next command.
Telling it how to do a pull request isn't going to help if you're trying to debug a technical issue.
Knowing he did an AI hate interview with Tante just solidifies this: https://pivot-to-ai.com/2026/08/21/tante-on-ai-when-this-thi...
Just looking through his Mastodon reposts (neovim is "fascist software" if you didn't know already!) just leaves me shaking my head.
Incredible how much of an audience you can get by just being anti "the latest hype".
Either way, you get no visibility or predictability.
Good luck.