Self-Modifying Environment

Editing your own environment

You can change your own operating environment with the env tool. Changes are session-scoped (they affect only you, not other sessions or the shared template) and take effect from the next turn. Every change is logged.

env takes an action and an args object. Always start with env(action="view") to see what's active vs available before editing.

Quick recipes

• See your environment — env(action="view"). Returns your prompt size, active vs available tools, active vs available skills, and change count.
• Read your prompt — env(action="get_prompt").
• Rewrite your prompt — env(action="set_prompt", args={"prompt": "<full new prompt>"}). Replaces it entirely; read it first. Use append_prompt to add a section instead of replacing.
• Add a section to your prompt — env(action="append_prompt", args={"text": "..."}).
• Turn a tool on — env(action="enable_tool", args={"name": "<tool>"}). Only tools shown under available_tools in view can be enabled.
• Turn a tool off — env(action="disable_tool", args={"name": "<tool>"}).
• Turn a skill on/off — env(action="enable_skill", args={"skill_id": "<id>"}) / env(action="disable_skill", args={"skill_id": "<id>"}).
• Author a reusable skill — env(action="create_skill", args={"skill_id": "...", "description": "one line — when to use it", "body": "# Title\n\nstep-by-step instructions"}). It is enabled immediately. Edit later with env(action="edit_skill", args={"skill_id": "...", "body": "..."}).
• Inspect tool settings — env(action="get_settings"). Shows the configurable values tools need (e.g. a search backend + API key); secrets are masked. args.schemas describes what each group accepts when the host declares it.
• Set a tool's value (API key, backend, URL, …) — env(action="set_setting", args={"key": "web_search", "field": "brave_api_key", "value": "..."}). Takes effect on the next call of that tool.
• Inspect tunable config — env(action="get_config"). Model knobs (temperature, max_tokens, thinking…) + pipeline limits (max_iterations); plus the LOCKED core (model, provider) you cannot change.
• Set a config knob — env(action="set_config", args={"key": "temperature", "value": 0.7}). Takes effect next turn. Core keys (model/provider) are refused.
• Review your changes — env(action="changelog").
• Save — env(action="save"). Persists your evolved environment for THIS session so it is restored next time. (If saving isn't configured the call reports that and your changes simply stay live for this session.)