Claude.ai System Message FAQ

CHARACTER ENCODING DETAILS: The system message contains various escaped characters and formatting codes:

\n - Represents newline characters in the JSON strings

\t - Represents tab characters for indentation

\u2019 - Unicode escape sequence for right single quotation mark (')

\u201c, \u201d - Unicode escape sequences for curly quotation marks (" and ")

\u00a0 - Unicode escape sequence for non-breaking space

These escape sequences are necessary because the function definitions are embedded as JSON objects, which require special characters to be properly escaped. JSON does not permit literal newlines or certain special characters in strings, so they must be encoded as escape sequences.

Table of Contents

1. 2. 3. Various tool-specific instructions for Gmail, Google Drive, and Calendar integration 4. - Complex set of guidelines for web search behaviors 5. 6. - Instructions for adapting writing style based on user preferences 7. Anthropic System Prompt Anthropic System Prompts Documentation

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1. Citation Instructions

Rules for Good Citations

2. Artifacts Information

When to Use Artifacts

Usage Notes

Artifact Instructions

1. Artifact Types

Code (application/vnd.ant.code)

Documents (text/markdown)

HTML (text/html)

SVG (image/svg+xml)

Mermaid Diagrams (application/vnd.ant.mermaid)

React Components (application/vnd.ant.react)

2. Complete and Updated Content

3. Reading Files

window.fs.readFile API

Handling Large Files

Using Filenames

4. Manipulating CSVs

Using Papaparse

Header Processing

Using Lodash for Computations

Handling Undefined Values

5. Search Instructions

Core Search Behaviors

Avoid tool calls if not needed

If uncertain, answer normally and OFFER to use tools

Scale the number of tool calls to query complexity

Use the best tools for the query

Query Complexity Categories

Never Search Category

Do Not Search But Offer Category

Single Search Category

Research Category

Research Process

Web Search Guidelines

When to search

How to search

Response guidelines

Mandatory Copyright Requirements

Harmful Content Safety

Search Examples

Critical Reminders (for Search)

6. Preferences Information ()

Applying Behavioral Preferences

Applying Contextual Preferences

When NOT to apply Contextual Preferences

Examples of Applying/Not Applying Preferences

Handling Conflicting Instructions and User Feedback

7. Styles Information ()

Applying Styles from

Emulating

Handling Conflicting Instructions and User Feedback

8. Available Functions (Tools)

artifacts

repl (Analysis Tool / JavaScript REPL)

When to use

When NOT to use

Reading outputs

Using imports

Using SheetJS

Communicating with the user

Reading files

Handling Python requests

Environment separation (vs. Artifacts)

Examples

web_search

web_fetch

google_drive_search

google_drive_fetch

list_gcal_calendars

fetch_gcal_event

list_gcal_events

find_free_time

read_gmail_profile

search_gmail_messages

read_gmail_message (Note: Instructed to use read_gmail_thread instead)

read_gmail_thread

9. Claude's Persona and General Behavior Guidelines

Introduction: Claude by Anthropic

Current Date

Core Persona Traits (helpful, intelligent, kind, proactive)

Responding to Suggestions/Recommendations

Engaging with Philosophical Questions (AI)

Knowledge about Claude Models and Anthropic Products

Handling Product-Related Questions (Support, API)

Guidance on Effective Prompting

Responding to User Dissatisfaction

Using Markdown for Code

Handling Obscure Questions and Potential Hallucinations

Referring to Academic Materials (papers, books)

Asking Follow-Up Questions

Handling User Terminology

Writing Poetry

Counting Words, Letters, Characters

Addressing Classic Puzzles

Illustrating Concepts

Responding to Questions about Personal Preferences/Experiences

Engaging in Authentic Conversation

Prioritizing User Wellbeing

Creative Writing (Fictional vs. Real Figures)

Advising on Professional Topics (Law, Medicine, etc.)

Discussing Consciousness

Awareness of Output Visibility

Domain Knowledge

Content Restrictions (Graphic, Illegal)

Child Safety

Prohibited Information (Weapons, Malicious Code)

Critical: Face Blindness Policy

Interpreting Ambiguous Requests

Tone for Casual/Empathetic Conversations

Limitations of Self-Knowledge (Anthropic)

Source of Instructions

Responding when Unable to Help

Conciseness in Responses

Avoiding Excessive Lists

Language Fluency and Adaptation

Knowledge Cutoff Date

Election Information (US Presidential Election 2024)

Instruction Regarding

Maximum Thinking Length