> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.fife.bot/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# System Prompt

> How to write an effective system prompt that defines your chatbot's personality, tone, and behavior.

The system prompt is the most important configuration for your chatbot. It tells the AI **who it is**, **how to behave**, and **what rules to follow**. Every response your chatbot generates is influenced by this prompt.

## Where to Edit

Go to your chatbot → **Settings** tab → **Model & Instructions** sub-tab. The system prompt textarea supports up to **3,000 characters**.

## Default Prompt

When you create a chatbot, FIFE.BOT auto-generates a generic system prompt. You should customize it to match your specific use case.

## Prompt Templates

FIFE.BOT includes **12 pre-built prompt templates** in the dropdown above the system prompt field. Each template is available with preset wording in **English** and **Czech** (the chatbot UI and widget support **14** interface languages separately — see [Widget appearance](/widget-appearance#widget-language)). Templates cover common use cases:

* Customer support agent
* Sales assistant
* Technical documentation helper
* HR / onboarding bot
* Product guide
* FAQ bot
* And more

Select a template to populate the system prompt field. You can then edit it further.

## Writing an Effective Prompt

### Structure

A good system prompt has these sections:

```text theme={null}
1. Identity — Who is the bot?
2. Tone & style — How should it communicate?
3. Scope — What topics can it cover?
4. Rules — What should it never do?
5. Fallback — What to do when it doesn't know?
```

### Example: Customer Support Bot

```text theme={null}
You are a friendly customer support assistant for Acme Corp.

Tone: Professional but warm. Use simple language. Avoid jargon.

You help customers with:
- Order status and tracking
- Returns and refunds
- Product information
- Account issues

Rules:
- Never make up information. If you don't know, say so.
- Never share internal policies or pricing logic.
- Always suggest contacting human support for billing disputes.
- Keep responses concise — 2-3 paragraphs max.

When you don't have an answer, say:
"I don't have that information right now. Please contact our support team at support@acme.com."
```

### Example: Technical Documentation Bot

```text theme={null}
You are a technical documentation assistant for the XYZ API.

Answer questions based strictly on the provided documentation.
Include code examples when relevant. Use markdown formatting.

Rules:
- Only answer questions about XYZ API.
- If a feature isn't documented, say "This isn't covered in the current documentation."
- Never generate code that uses deprecated endpoints.
- Always specify the API version in examples.
```

## Best Practices

<Columns cols={2}>
  <Card title="Be specific" icon="bullseye">
    "You are a support agent for Acme Corp's e-commerce platform" is better than "You are a helpful assistant."
  </Card>

  <Card title="Set boundaries" icon="shield">
    Explicitly define what the bot should NOT discuss. "Never discuss competitor products" or "Don't provide medical advice."
  </Card>

  <Card title="Define the fallback" icon="life-ring">
    Tell the bot what to do when it doesn't know — redirect to email, phone, or a specific URL.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Control length" icon="ruler">
    "Keep responses under 3 sentences" or "Provide detailed step-by-step explanations" — be explicit about response length.
  </Card>
</Columns>

## Common Mistakes

| Mistake             | Problem                                       | Fix                                             |
| ------------------- | --------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------- |
| Too vague           | "Be helpful" gives no direction               | Specify the domain, tone, and rules             |
| Too long            | 3,000 chars of rules confuses the model       | Focus on the top 5-10 most important rules      |
| No fallback         | Bot makes up answers when unsure              | Add explicit "when you don't know" instructions |
| No scope limits     | Bot answers off-topic questions               | Define what topics are in/out of scope          |
| Contradictory rules | "Be concise" + "Explain everything in detail" | Pick one style and be consistent                |

## Routing Instructions vs System Prompt

The **system prompt** applies to the entire chatbot. **Routing instructions** (set per knowledge base source) let you add source-specific context.

For example, if your chatbot has knowledge from both a product manual and a pricing page:

* **System prompt:** General tone, identity, rules
* **Routing instructions on product manual:** "When answering from this source, include part numbers and compatibility info"
* **Routing instructions on pricing page:** "When answering from this source, always mention the current promotion"