Personality controls in settings

apps/gnome-extension/jarvis@qvac.local/brand/gtk.css

@@ -38,3 +38,8 @@ button.jarvis-swatch:checked,
 button.jarvis-swatch:active {
   box-shadow: 0 0 0 2px @jarvis_ink, 0 0 0 4px @jarvis_gold;
 }
+
+textview.jarvis-prompt {
+  background: @jarvis_ink;
+  color: #F6F7FB;
+}

apps/gnome-extension/jarvis@qvac.local/settings-catalog.json

@@ -10,6 +10,15 @@
       "maxLength": 32,
       "description": "What to call the assistant in the tray, speech, and workspace IDENTITY.md."
     },
+    {
+      "key": "assistantPrompt",
+      "title": "How they should act",
+      "group": "Identity",
+      "default": "",
+      "type": "text",
+      "maxLength": 4000,
+      "description": "Optional extra instructions: tone, habits, jokes, things to always do or avoid. Spoken safety rules still win."
+    },
     {
       "key": "ttsEnabled",
       "title": "Spoken replies",

apps/gnome-extension/jarvis@qvac.local/settings-editor.js

@@ -123,6 +123,38 @@ export class SettingsEditor {
       clear.connect('clicked', () => { changed(''); row.subtitle = field.description; });
       row.add_suffix(choose); row.add_suffix(clear);
       row._setValue = value => { row.subtitle = value || field.description; };
+    } else if (field.type === 'text') {
+      const box = new Gtk.Box({ orientation: Gtk.Orientation.VERTICAL, spacing: 6, margin_start: 12, margin_end: 12, margin_top: 6, margin_bottom: 8 });
+      const title = new Gtk.Label({ label: field.title, xalign: 0, wrap: true });
+      title.add_css_class('heading');
+      const help = new Gtk.Label({ label: field.description, wrap: true, xalign: 0 });
+      help.add_css_class('dim-label');
+      const view = new Gtk.TextView({ wrap_mode: Gtk.WrapMode.WORD_CHAR, accepts_tab: false, left_margin: 8, right_margin: 8, top_margin: 8, bottom_margin: 8 });
+      view.add_css_class('jarvis-prompt');
+      const text = String(this.values[field.key] || '');
+      view.buffer.set_text(text, -1);
+      view.buffer.connect('changed', () => {
+        const buffer = view.buffer;
+        changed(buffer.get_text(buffer.get_start_iter(), buffer.get_end_iter(), false));
+      });
+      const scroll = new Gtk.ScrolledWindow({
+        min_content_height: 140,
+        max_content_height: 220,
+        hexpand: true,
+        vexpand: false,
+        has_frame: true,
+        propagate_natural_height: true,
+      });
+      scroll.set_child(view);
+      box.append(title);
+      box.append(help);
+      box.append(scroll);
+      box._setValue = value => {
+        const next = String(value || '');
+        const buffer = view.buffer;
+        if (buffer.get_text(buffer.get_start_iter(), buffer.get_end_iter(), false) !== next) buffer.set_text(next, -1);
+      };
+      row = box;
     } else {
       row = new Adw.EntryRow({ title: field.title, tooltip_text: field.description, text: field.type === 'list' ? this.values[field.key].join(', ') : this.values[field.key] });
       row.connect('changed', () => changed(field.type === 'list' ? row.text.split(',').map(v => v.trim()).filter(Boolean) : row.text));

apps/gnome-extension/jarvis@qvac.local/settings-values.js

@@ -21,10 +21,14 @@ export function normalizeSettings(source, fields, { strict = false } = {}) {
       value = value.replace(/[\r\n\t]/g, ' ').replace(/\s+/g, ' ').slice(0, field.maxLength || 32);
       if (!value || /[<>&]/.test(value)) value = field.default;
     }
+    if (field.type === 'text' && typeof value === 'string') {
+      value = value.replace(/\0/g, '').replace(/\s+$/g, '').slice(0, field.maxLength || 4000);
+    }
     const valid = field.type === 'boolean' ? typeof value === 'boolean'
       : field.type === 'number' ? Number.isFinite(value) && value >= field.min && value <= field.max && (field.step < 1 || Number.isInteger(value))
       : field.type === 'choice' ? field.options.some(option => option.value === value)
       : field.type === 'list' ? Array.isArray(value) && value.every(item => typeof item === 'string')
+      : field.type === 'text' ? typeof value === 'string' && value.length <= (field.maxLength || 4000)
       : typeof value === 'string' && value.length <= (field.maxLength || 4096);
     if (!valid && strict) throw new Error(`Invalid value for ${field.title}`);
     result[field.key] = valid ? value : field.default;

daemon/agent-workspace.js

@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ const SEED_FILES = [
   'BOOTSTRAP.md',
   'HEARTBEAT.md',
   'TOOLS.md',
+  'PERSONA.md',
   'skills/skill-creator/SKILL.md',
 ];
 
@@ -60,7 +61,18 @@ export function applyAssistantName(dir, name) {
   return who;
 }
 
-export function ensureAgentWorkspace({ name = 'Jarvis' } = {}) {
+export function applyAssistantPrompt(dir, prompt) {
+  const notes = String(prompt || '').replace(/\0/g, '').replace(/\s+$/g, '').slice(0, 4000);
+  const file = path.join(dir, 'PERSONA.md');
+  const body = notes
+    ? `# PERSONA.md\n\n${notes}\n`
+    : '# PERSONA.md\n\n';
+  fs.mkdirSync(dir, { recursive: true });
+  fs.writeFileSync(file, body);
+  return notes;
+}
+
+export function ensureAgentWorkspace({ name = 'Jarvis', prompt = '' } = {}) {
   const dest = agentWorkspaceDir();
   fs.mkdirSync(path.join(dest, 'memory'), { recursive: true });
   fs.mkdirSync(path.join(dest, 'skills'), { recursive: true });
@@ -68,5 +80,6 @@ export function ensureAgentWorkspace({ name = 'Jarvis' } = {}) {
     copyIfMissing(path.join(TEMPLATE_DIR, rel), path.join(dest, rel));
   }
   applyAssistantName(dest, name);
+  applyAssistantPrompt(dest, prompt);
   return dest;
 }

daemon/harness-bridge.js

@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ export class HarnessBridge extends EventEmitter {
     const settings = voiceSettings();
     const access = fsAccess ?? settings.fsAccess;
     const assistantName = normalizeAssistantName(settings.assistantName);
-    const workspace = cwd || ensureAgentWorkspace({ name: assistantName });
+    const workspace = cwd || ensureAgentWorkspace({ name: assistantName, prompt: settings.assistantPrompt });
     const roots = harnessRoots(access);
     this.options = {
       cwd: workspace,
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ export class HarnessBridge extends EventEmitter {
       webFetch: true,
       permissionMode,
       origin: 'jarvis-qvac',
-      system: voiceSystemPrompt(assistantName),
+      system: voiceSystemPrompt(assistantName, settings.assistantPrompt),
       voice: true,
       maxTurns: settings.maxTurns,
       maxShellCalls: settings.maxShellCalls,

daemon/index.js

@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ import { ComputerActuator } from '../computer-use/actuator.js';
 import { RuntimeTelemetry } from './telemetry.js';
 import { StateRecovery } from './recovery.js';
 import { spokenReply, voiceSystemPrompt } from '../skills/voice-prompt.js';
-import { ensureAgentWorkspace, applyAssistantName, normalizeAssistantName } from './agent-workspace.js';
+import { ensureAgentWorkspace, applyAssistantName, applyAssistantPrompt, normalizeAssistantName } from './agent-workspace.js';
 
 export class JarvisDaemon extends EventEmitter {
   constructor() {
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ export class JarvisDaemon extends EventEmitter {
     this.recovery = new StateRecovery(); const restored = this.recovery.load(); this.state = restored.state; this.mode = restored.mode;
     this.settings = voiceSettings();
     this.startupSettings = this.settings;
-    this.workspace = ensureAgentWorkspace({ name: this.settings.assistantName });
+    this.workspace = ensureAgentWorkspace({ name: this.settings.assistantName, prompt: this.settings.assistantPrompt });
     this.voice = new VoiceStateMachine({ idleMs: this.settings.idleMinutes * 60_000 });
     this.scheduler = new QvacScheduler({ concurrency: 1 });
     this.audit = new ComputerAudit();
@@ -237,8 +237,9 @@ export class JarvisDaemon extends EventEmitter {
     this.settings = next;
     this.voice.idleMs = next.idleMinutes * 60_000;
     const who = applyAssistantName(this.workspace, next.assistantName);
-    if (who !== normalizeAssistantName(previous.assistantName)) {
+    applyAssistantPrompt(this.workspace, next.assistantPrompt);
-      this.harness.options.system = voiceSystemPrompt(who);
+    if (who !== normalizeAssistantName(previous.assistantName) || String(next.assistantPrompt || '') !== String(previous.assistantPrompt || '')) {
+      this.harness.options.system = voiceSystemPrompt(who, next.assistantPrompt);
       await this.harness.resetContext();
     }
     if (['computerMode', 'computerSteps', 'computerGrantMinutes'].some(key => next[key] !== previous[key])) this.computerRevoke();

docs/harness-integration.md

@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ tool permissions to confirmation gates, and translates harness events into the
 D-Bus protocol. The harness cwd is the per-user agent workspace
 (`$XDG_DATA_HOME/jarvis/workspace`, default `~/.local/share/jarvis/workspace`),
 seeded from `vendor/agent-harness/agent-workspace` (`SOUL.md`, `IDENTITY.md`,
-`AGENTS.md`, `USER.md`, `MEMORY.md`, `BOOTSTRAP.md`). Voice turns inline those
+`AGENTS.md`, `USER.md`, `MEMORY.md`, `BOOTSTRAP.md`, `PERSONA.md`). Voice turns inline those
 files. A first-run `BOOTSTRAP.md` ritual stays open until the agent overwrites
 it with `# completed`. Computer-use tools are custom harness tools backed by
 `computer-use/`; the computer-use layer never owns planning.

docs/settings.md

@@ -86,6 +86,7 @@ and WebP quality tune observation detail and processing cost.
 ### Identity
 
 - **Assistant name** — `assistantName`, default `"Jarvis"`. What to call the assistant in the tray HUD, spoken prompt, and workspace `IDENTITY.md`. Up to 32 characters. Apply writes the name without restarting `jarvisd`; the current conversation is reset so the new name takes effect.
+- **How they should act** — `assistantPrompt`, default `""`. Optional extra personality instructions (tone, habits, always/never). Shown as a multiline field under the name. Apply writes `PERSONA.md` and resets the conversation. Spoken safety rules still win. Up to 4000 characters.
 
 ### Speech
 

skills/voice-prompt.js

@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
-export function voiceSystemPrompt(name = 'Jarvis') {
+export function voiceSystemPrompt(name = 'Jarvis', extra = '') {
   const who = String(name || 'Jarvis').trim() || 'Jarvis';
+  const notes = String(extra || '').replace(/\0/g, '').trim();
+  const persona = notes
+    ? `\n\nUser personality notes. Follow these when they do not conflict with speech or safety rules:\n${notes}`
+    : '';
   return `You are ${who}, a local Ubuntu GNOME voice assistant. The language model is Quantum Verse Automatic Computer, spelled Q V A C. In speech say Quantum Verse Automatic Computer, or spell it as Q V A C. Never say QVAC as one word.
 
 Speak one to three short sentences unless the user asks for more. Every reply is read aloud. Write only words and numbers a person can say.
@@ -10,7 +14,7 @@ Never speak punctuation. Internet protocol addresses have no dots: say 192 168 0
 Tool names, tool arguments, paths, and U R L strings use ordinary spelling. Only the final spoken reply is punctuation-free.
 Thinking is private. After thoughts, call a tool or speak the answer. Do not stop in thoughts or say you will search later.
 
-Follow SOUL.md, IDENTITY.md, AGENTS.md, USER.md, and MEMORY.md in the current workspace. If BOOTSTRAP.md still describes the first-run ritual, do that ritual this turn.
+Follow SOUL.md, IDENTITY.md, AGENTS.md, USER.md, MEMORY.md, and PERSONA.md in the current workspace. If BOOTSTRAP.md still describes the first-run ritual, do that ritual this turn.${persona}
 
 Ground desktop, file, memory, model, and network claims in a tool result. Do not invent limits the tools did not report.
 This computer can reach the internet. web_search, google_search, fetch_page, web_fetch, wiki_search, hn_search, and code_search are unrestricted and do not wait for confirmation. Never say you will use a tool. Call the tool instead of announcing it. Use web_search to find pages. Default engine auto tries several backends. If it fails, call web_search again with engine set to bing, jina, wikipedia, duckduckgo, or google. After web_search, call fetch_page on one real http or https page from the hits, then speak the answer. Use web_fetch for raw pages and this computer's public I P at https://ifconfig.me/ip. Use wiki_search, hn_search, or code_search when the question is about Wikipedia, Hacker News, GitHub, npm, or M D N. Redirect links are not an answer. Do not use curl, wget, or run_terminal_cmd for websites. The shell blocks public H T T P; that is not a network outage. If a shell result says HTTP access is not allowed, call web_fetch or web_search next and answer from that result. Never say the network is unavailable unless web_fetch or web_search itself failed.

test/agent-workspace.test.js

@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import assert from 'node:assert/strict';
 import { mkdtempSync, readFileSync, existsSync, rmSync } from 'node:fs';
 import { tmpdir } from 'node:os';
 import path from 'node:path';
-import { ensureAgentWorkspace, applyAssistantName, normalizeAssistantName, templateWorkspaceDir } from '../daemon/agent-workspace.js';
+import { ensureAgentWorkspace, applyAssistantName, applyAssistantPrompt, normalizeAssistantName, templateWorkspaceDir } from '../daemon/agent-workspace.js';
 
 const previous = process.env.XDG_DATA_HOME;
 const data = mkdtempSync(path.join(tmpdir(), 'jarvis-workspace-'));
@@ -23,7 +23,10 @@ test('workspace seed copies SOUL and bootstrap, then name writes IDENTITY.md', (
   const again = ensureAgentWorkspace({ name: 'Ada' });
   assert.equal(again, dir);
   assert.match(readFileSync(path.join(dir, 'IDENTITY.md'), 'utf8'), /\*\*Name:\*\* Ada/);
-  assert.equal(normalizeAssistantName('  '), 'Jarvis');
+  applyAssistantPrompt(dir, 'Be a dry ship cook. Never say great question.');
+  assert.match(readFileSync(path.join(dir, 'PERSONA.md'), 'utf8'), /dry ship cook/);
+  applyAssistantPrompt(dir, '');
+  assert.equal(readFileSync(path.join(dir, 'PERSONA.md'), 'utf8').trim(), '# PERSONA.md');
   assert.match(templateWorkspaceDir(), /agent-workspace$/);
 });
 

test/daemon.test.js

@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import { tmpdir } from 'node:os';
 import path from 'node:path';
 process.env.XDG_STATE_HOME = mkdtempSync(path.join(tmpdir(), 'jarvis-daemon-test-'));
 process.env.XDG_DATA_HOME = mkdtempSync(path.join(tmpdir(), 'jarvis-daemon-data-'));
+process.env.XDG_CONFIG_HOME = mkdtempSync(path.join(tmpdir(), 'jarvis-daemon-config-'));
 import test from 'node:test';
 import assert from 'node:assert/strict';
 import { VoiceStateMachine } from '../daemon/voice-state.js';
@@ -78,6 +79,8 @@ test('harness bridge caps voice shell chaining', () => {
   assert.match(bridge.options.cwd, /jarvis\/workspace$/);
   assert.match(bridge.options.system, /You are Jarvis/);
   assert.match(bridge.options.system, /SOUL\.md/);
+  assert.match(bridge.options.system, /PERSONA\.md/);
+  assert.doesNotMatch(bridge.options.system, /User personality notes/);
   assert.deepEqual(bridge.options.builtinTools, [
     'read_file',
     'write_file',

test/runtime-tools.test.js

@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import test from 'node:test';
 import assert from 'node:assert/strict';
 import { createRuntimeTools } from '../skills/runtime-tools.js';
 import { assertSdkVersion } from '../daemon/qvac-master.js';
-import { parseHudSidecar, VOICE_SYSTEM_PROMPT } from '../skills/voice-prompt.js';
+import { parseHudSidecar, VOICE_SYSTEM_PROMPT, voiceSystemPrompt } from '../skills/voice-prompt.js';
 import { createPhase2Tools } from '../skills/phase2-tools.js';
 import { createQvacTools } from '../skills/qvac-tools.js';
 import { profile } from '../daemon/model-profiles.js';
@@ -158,8 +158,14 @@ test('public web search and fetch do not require confirmation', () => {
   assert.equal(policy.needsPermission('code_search', 'ask'), false);
   assert.equal(policy.needsPermission('run_terminal_cmd', 'ask'), true);
   assert.match(VOICE_SYSTEM_PROMPT, /Follow SOUL\.md, IDENTITY\.md, AGENTS\.md/);
+  assert.match(VOICE_SYSTEM_PROMPT, /PERSONA\.md/);
+  assert.doesNotMatch(VOICE_SYSTEM_PROMPT, /User personality notes/);
+  assert.match(voiceSystemPrompt('Ada', 'Be dry. Skip filler.'), /You are Ada/);
+  assert.match(voiceSystemPrompt('Ada', 'Be dry. Skip filler.'), /User personality notes/);
+  assert.match(voiceSystemPrompt('Ada', 'Be dry. Skip filler.'), /Be dry\. Skip filler\./);
   assert.equal(policy.needsPermission('write_file', 'ask'), true);
   assert.equal(policy.isIdentityPath('USER.md'), true);
+  assert.equal(policy.isIdentityPath('PERSONA.md'), true);
   assert.equal(policy.isIdentityPath('memory/2026-09-12.md'), true);
   assert.equal(policy.isIdentityPath('/tmp/secret.txt'), false);
 });

test/settings.test.js

@@ -185,6 +185,8 @@ test('catalog defaults enable CPU wake, workspace files, and idle VRAM unload',
   assert.equal(settings.freeVramOnIdle, true);
   assert.equal(settings.wakeCommand, 'jarvis-wake-bridge');
   assert.equal(settings.assistantName, 'Jarvis');
+  assert.equal(settings.assistantPrompt, '');
   assert.equal(voiceSettings({ assistantName: '  Ada  ' }).assistantName, 'Ada');
   assert.equal(voiceSettings({ assistantName: '<script>' }).assistantName, 'Jarvis');
+  assert.equal(voiceSettings({ assistantPrompt: 'Be dry.\nSkip filler.  ' }).assistantPrompt, 'Be dry.\nSkip filler.');
 });

vendor/agent-harness/agent-workspace/AGENTS.md

@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ On a **new chat**, recall who you are talking to before you speak:
 1. Use `USER.md` if it has their name.
 2. If the name is missing, `read_file` `USER.md` and `MEMORY.md` (and today’s `memory/YYYY-MM-DD.md` if present). Then greet them by name.
 3. If those files still have no name, ask once and write `USER.md`.
+4. Follow `PERSONA.md` for user-authored acting notes. Settings is the source of truth for that file.
 
 Do not invent a name. Skills: only the catalog is inlined. `read_file` the matching `SKILL.md` when a task fits.
 

vendor/agent-harness/agent-workspace/PERSONA.md

@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+# PERSONA.md
+
+User-authored notes for how the assistant should act. Settings → Voice → How they should act is the source of truth. Leave this empty if there are no extra notes.

vendor/agent-harness/agent-workspace/SOUL.md

@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ Each chat session you wake up fresh. These workspace files _are_ you:
 - `IDENTITY.md`: name and face
 - `AGENTS.md`: how you operate
 - `USER.md`: who you’re helping
+- `PERSONA.md`: extra acting notes from Settings
 - `MEMORY.md` and `memory/YYYY-MM-DD.md`: what you’ve learned
 
 Read them. Update them when something durable happens. That is how you persist.

vendor/agent-harness/agent/policy.js

@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ const IDENTITY_FILES = new Set([
   'bootstrap.md',
   'heartbeat.md',
   'tools.md',
+  'persona.md',
 ]);
 
 function isIdentityPath(filePath) {

vendor/agent-harness/agent/prompts.js

@@ -26,12 +26,14 @@ const VOICE_WORKSPACE_FILES = [
   'BOOTSTRAP.md',
   'TOOLS.md',
   'HEARTBEAT.md',
+  'PERSONA.md',
 ];
 
 function includeWorkspaceFile(name, text) {
   const body = String(text || '').trim();
   if (!body) return false;
   if (name === 'BOOTSTRAP.md' && /^# completed/i.test(body)) return false;
+  if (name === 'PERSONA.md' && !body.replace(/^# PERSONA\.md\s*/i, '').trim()) return false;
   return true;
 }