What are Project Instructions?
Project instructions are a custom system prompt that ZeroTwo injects at the start of every chat within the project. They’re the most powerful feature in projects: write your context, constraints, and preferences once, and every project chat inherits them automatically.
Think of project instructions as a standing briefing you give ZeroTwo before every conversation in the project.
How to Set Project Instructions
Open the project
Click the project name in the left sidebar.
Open project settings
Click the Settings or gear icon in the project header.
Go to Instructions
Find the Instructions section or tab.
Write your instructions
Type your system prompt in the text area. Be as specific as your use case requires.
Save
Click Save. Instructions take effect immediately for all new chats in the project.
Instructions apply to new chats started after saving. Existing chats that were already open won’t retroactively receive updated instructions.
Use Cases and Examples
Coding assistant
Creative writing project
Research project
Client work
Tips for Effective Instructions
Be specific about format. If you always want bullet points, say so. If you want code with comments, specify that.
Define the AI’s role clearly. “You are a senior TypeScript developer” gives the AI a clear persona to maintain. Vague role definitions produce inconsistent behavior.
Include constraints. “Only answer questions about this project — redirect off-topic questions” helps keep project chats focused.
Update as the project evolves. Your stack, scope, and preferences will change. Revisit instructions periodically and update them. Old, stale instructions can confuse more than they help.
Keep it under 2,000 words. Very long instructions consume a significant portion of the available context window, leaving less room for your actual conversation. Aim for comprehensive but concise.
Interaction with Global Custom Instructions
ZeroTwo also applies your global custom instructions (set in Settings → Personalization) to every chat. Project instructions are applied in addition to global instructions — they don’t replace them.
If there’s a conflict between global and project instructions, project instructions generally take precedence for that project. If you notice unexpected behavior, check both settings for contradictions.
