Custom Instructions
Configure how Codeteel writes code for you and your repos.
Two levels
Custom instructions let you guide the agent's behavior. There are two levels that get merged together:
User instructions
Apply to all your repositories. Set them in /settings under the Custom Instructions section.
Example user instructions: - Always use TypeScript strict mode - Prefer functional components with hooks over class components - Use snake_case for Python, camelCase for TypeScript - Keep functions under 30 lines - Add JSDoc comments to all public functions - Never use 'any' type in TypeScript
Repo instructions
Apply to a specific repository only. Set them on the repo detail page.
Example repo instructions: - This project uses FastAPI with Pydantic v2 - All database queries go through the repository pattern in src/db/ - Error responses must follow RFC 7807 format - Use pytest for tests, not unittest - Environment variables are loaded from src/config.py
How they work
Both levels are merged and injected into every agent interaction:
System prompt: [base agent instructions] [repo instructions] ← first [user instructions] ← second
The agent follows them when searching code, creating plans, writing code, and reviewing PRs. Custom instructions are also checked during code reviews — the agent verifies that code follows your guidelines.
✓
Be specific. "Write clean code" is too vague. "Use early returns instead of nested if/else. Max 3 levels of nesting." gives the agent clear rules to follow.