User configurable templates by DOsinga · Pull Request #6420 · block/goose

DOsinga · 2026-01-09T18:45:04Z

Summary

Simplify how we do templating and make it possible for users to edit prompts

Example

Change the system prompt to make replies in Dutch by default:

Copilot

Pull request overview

This PR simplifies the prompt templating system and enables user customization of prompts. The changes introduce a new explicit template registry, replace the global environment approach with on-demand rendering, and add API endpoints for managing prompt customizations.

Key changes:

Refactored prompt_template.rs to use an explicit registry and support user-customized templates stored in the config directory
Added new "Prompts" settings tab in the desktop UI with API integration for CRUD operations
Renamed summarize_oneshot.md to compaction.md and removed unused template files

Reviewed changes

Copilot reviewed 16 out of 17 changed files in this pull request and generated 3 comments.

Show a summary per file

File	Description
ui/desktop/src/components/settings/SettingsView.tsx	Adds new Prompts tab to settings with FileText icon
ui/desktop/src/api/types.gen.ts	Adds TypeScript types for prompt API responses and requests
ui/desktop/src/api/sdk.gen.ts	Adds API client functions for prompt management endpoints
ui/desktop/openapi.json	Defines OpenAPI schemas for prompt management endpoints
crates/goose/src/prompts/compaction.md	New template for conversation summarization (replaces summarize_oneshot.md)
crates/goose/src/prompts/system_gpt_4.1.md	Removed unused template file
crates/goose/src/prompts/mock.md	Removed test-only template file
crates/goose/src/prompt_template.rs	Complete refactor with explicit registry and user customization support
crates/goose/src/permission/permission_judge.rs	Updated to use new render_template function
crates/goose/src/context_mgmt/mod.rs	Updated to use compaction.md template
crates/goose/src/agents/subagent_handler.rs	Updated to use new render_template function
crates/goose/src/agents/prompt_manager.rs	Updated to use new render_template function
crates/goose/src/agents/extension_manager.rs	Updated to use new render_template function
crates/goose-server/src/routes/recipe_utils.rs	Updated to use new render_template function
crates/goose-server/src/routes/mod.rs	Adds prompts module to router configuration
crates/goose-server/src/routes/agent.rs	Updated to use new render_template function
crates/goose-server/src/openapi.rs	Registers prompt-related types and endpoints in OpenAPI spec

Copilot · 2026-01-09T18:50:10Z

crates/goose-server/src/routes/mod.rs

 pub mod errors;
 pub mod mcp_app_proxy;
 pub mod mcp_ui_proxy;
+pub mod prompts;


The module routes::prompts is declared and merged into the router, but the actual implementation file crates/goose-server/src/routes/prompts.rs does not exist. This will cause a compilation failure. The file needs to be created with implementations for get_prompts, get_prompt, save_prompt, reset_prompt, and reset_all_prompts handlers.

Copilot · 2026-01-09T18:50:10Z

crates/goose-server/src/openapi.rs

        super::routes::agent::start_agent,
        super::routes::agent::resume_agent,
        super::routes::agent::restart_agent,


The reset_all_prompts operation is missing from the OpenAPI handlers list. While the OpenAPI schema defines this endpoint, it's not registered in the paths array, which means it won't be accessible. Add super::routes::prompts::reset_all_prompts to the paths array (likely after line 358).

Suggested change

super::routes::agent::start_agent,

super::routes::agent::resume_agent,

super::routes::agent::restart_agent,

super::routes::prompts::reset_all_prompts,

super::routes::agent::start_agent,

super::routes::agent::resume_agent,

Copilot · 2026-01-09T18:50:10Z

ui/desktop/src/components/settings/SettingsView.tsx

 import ExternalBackendSection from './app/ExternalBackendSection';
 import AppSettingsSection from './app/AppSettingsSection';
 import ConfigSettings from './config/ConfigSettings';
+import PromptsSettingsSection from './prompts/PromptsSettingsSection';


The imported component PromptsSettingsSection does not exist in the codebase. This will cause a build failure. The component needs to be created at ui/desktop/src/components/settings/prompts/PromptsSettingsSection.tsx before this import can work.

Copilot

Pull request overview

Copilot reviewed 18 out of 19 changed files in this pull request and generated 6 comments.

Copilot · 2026-01-09T19:25:31Z

ui/desktop/src/components/settings/PromptsSettingsSection.tsx

+  const handleBack = () => {
+    setSelectedPrompt(null);
+    setPromptData(null);
+    setContent('');
+  };


When the user clicks "Back to List" while editing a prompt, there's no check for unsaved changes. If the user has modified the content but not saved it, those changes are lost without warning. Add a confirmation dialog when hasChanges is true before executing handleBack.

Copilot · 2026-01-09T19:25:31Z

crates/goose-server/src/routes/prompts.rs

+    })?;
+
+    Ok(Json(format!("Reset prompt to default: {}", name)))
+}
+
+pub fn routes() -> Router {
+    Router::new()


The new prompts routes lack test coverage. Other routes in this codebase include tests for their endpoint handlers (see action_required.rs, audio.rs, config_management.rs, recipe.rs, reply.rs). Add tests to verify the behavior of get_prompts, get_prompt, save_prompt, and reset_prompt handlers.

Copilot · 2026-01-09T19:25:31Z

ui/desktop/src/components/settings/PromptsSettingsSection.tsx

+                    onClick={handleRestoreDefault}
+                    className="text-xs"
+                  >
+                    View Default


The "View Default" button text is misleading - it replaces the current editor content with the default without warning or confirmation, potentially discarding unsaved changes. Either rename it to "Restore Default" to match its action, or implement a proper view-only mode that doesn't modify the editor content.

Suggested change

View Default

Restore Default

Copilot · 2026-01-09T19:25:32Z

ui/desktop/src/components/settings/PromptsSettingsSection.tsx

+                Customize the prompts that define goose's behavior in different contexts. These
+                prompts use Jinja2 templating syntax. Be careful when modifying template variables,
+                as incorrect changes can break functionality. Please share any improvements with the
+                community


Missing period at the end of the sentence. The text should end with "community."

Suggested change

community

community.

Copilot · 2026-01-09T19:25:32Z

crates/goose-server/src/routes/prompts.rs

+use utoipa::ToSchema;
+
+#[derive(Serialize, ToSchema)]
+pub struct PromptsListResponse {


The backend returns Template structs containing full prompt content (default_content and user_content), but the OpenAPI spec defines PromptInfo which only includes name, description, and is_customized. This creates an API contract mismatch where clients receive more data than documented. Create a separate PromptInfo struct or update the OpenAPI spec to match the actual response.

Copilot · 2026-01-09T19:25:32Z

ui/desktop/openapi.json

+    },
+    "/config/prompts/{name}": {
+      "get": {
+        "tags": [
+          "super::routes::prompts"
+        ],
+        "operationId": "get_prompt",
+        "parameters": [
+          {
+            "name": "name",
+            "in": "path",
+            "description": "Prompt template name (e.g., system.md)",
+            "required": true,
+            "schema": {
+              "type": "string"
+            }
+          }
+        ],
+        "responses": {
+          "200": {
+            "description": "Prompt content retrieved successfully",
+            "content": {


The OpenAPI spec defines a DELETE operation with operationId "reset_all_prompts" on the /config/prompts endpoint, but there's no corresponding backend handler registered in the router. The frontend works around this by calling resetPrompt for each customized prompt individually. Either implement the backend endpoint or remove it from the OpenAPI spec.

alexhancock

looks like a good improvement and I like the configurability!

I do wonder if we should now include edited template content in diagnostic reports. It feels like we cannot guarantee good behavior as much once people start editing content of these.

alexhancock · 2026-01-12T18:56:15Z

crates/goose/src/prompt_template.rs

+    ),
+    (
+        "plan.md",
+        "Prompt used when goose creates step-by-step plans. CLI only",


not specifically related to this changeset but why is this CLI only?

I don't know. the CLI has a plan mode, the desktop does not

DOsinga · 2026-01-12T19:07:22Z

looks like a good improvement and I like the configurability!

I do wonder if we should now include edited template content in diagnostic reports. It feels like we cannot guarantee good behavior as much once people start editing content of these.

they should be part of the llm logs, but yeah, should be easy enough to do

…plates

Copilot

Pull request overview

Copilot reviewed 22 out of 23 changed files in this pull request and generated no new comments.

…ovider * 'main' of github.com:block/goose: increase worker threads for ci (#6614) docs: todo tutorial update (#6613) Added goose doc map md file for goose agent to find relevant doc easily. (#6598) add back goose branding to home (#6617) fix: actually set the working dir for extensions from session (#6612) Multi chat (#6428) Lifei/fixed accumulated token count (#6587) Dont show MCP UI/Apps until tool is approved (#6492) docs: max tokens config (#6596) User configurable templates (#6420) docs: http proxy environment variables (#6594) feat: exclude subagent tool from code_execution filtering (#6531)

* main: increase worker threads for ci (#6614) docs: todo tutorial update (#6613) Added goose doc map md file for goose agent to find relevant doc easily. (#6598) add back goose branding to home (#6617) fix: actually set the working dir for extensions from session (#6612) Multi chat (#6428) Lifei/fixed accumulated token count (#6587) Dont show MCP UI/Apps until tool is approved (#6492) docs: max tokens config (#6596) User configurable templates (#6420) docs: http proxy environment variables (#6594) feat: exclude subagent tool from code_execution filtering (#6531) Fix path for global agent skills (#6591) recipes: add mcp server (#6552) feat(gcp-vertex): add model list with org policy filtering (#6393) chore: encourage extension searching (#6582) blog: mobile apps consolidation and roadmap (#6580) chore: remove unused dependencies in cargo.toml (#6561) resolved all the extensions to load in cli (#6464)

* main: (41 commits) chore: tweak release docs (#6571) fix(goose): propagate session_id across providers and MCP (#6584) increase worker threads for ci (#6614) docs: todo tutorial update (#6613) Added goose doc map md file for goose agent to find relevant doc easily. (#6598) add back goose branding to home (#6617) fix: actually set the working dir for extensions from session (#6612) Multi chat (#6428) Lifei/fixed accumulated token count (#6587) Dont show MCP UI/Apps until tool is approved (#6492) docs: max tokens config (#6596) User configurable templates (#6420) docs: http proxy environment variables (#6594) feat: exclude subagent tool from code_execution filtering (#6531) Fix path for global agent skills (#6591) recipes: add mcp server (#6552) feat(gcp-vertex): add model list with org policy filtering (#6393) chore: encourage extension searching (#6582) blog: mobile apps consolidation and roadmap (#6580) chore: remove unused dependencies in cargo.toml (#6561) ...

* main: (68 commits) fix(docs): use dynamic import for globby ESM module (#6636) chore: trigger CI Document tab completion (#6635) Install goose-mcp crate dependencies (#6632) feat(goose): standardize agent-session-id for session correlation (#6626) chore: tweak release docs (#6571) fix(goose): propagate session_id across providers and MCP (#6584) increase worker threads for ci (#6614) docs: todo tutorial update (#6613) Added goose doc map md file for goose agent to find relevant doc easily. (#6598) add back goose branding to home (#6617) fix: actually set the working dir for extensions from session (#6612) Multi chat (#6428) Lifei/fixed accumulated token count (#6587) Dont show MCP UI/Apps until tool is approved (#6492) docs: max tokens config (#6596) User configurable templates (#6420) docs: http proxy environment variables (#6594) feat: exclude subagent tool from code_execution filtering (#6531) Fix path for global agent skills (#6591) ...

Co-authored-by: Douwe Osinga <douwe@squareup.com> Signed-off-by: fbalicchia <fbalicchia@cuebiq.com>

Co-authored-by: Douwe Osinga <douwe@squareup.com>

Douwe Osinga added 2 commits January 9, 2026 10:19

User configurable templates take (1)

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Some more

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Douwe Osinga added 2 commits January 9, 2026 14:05

more refactoring

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Simplify

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Copilot AI review requested due to automatic review settings January 9, 2026 19:18

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DOsinga requested a review from baxen January 9, 2026 19:25

What copilot said

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alexhancock approved these changes Jan 12, 2026

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Douwe Osinga added 2 commits January 20, 2026 16:42

Merge remote-tracking branch 'origin/main' into user-configurable-tem…

33f5f1a

…plates

Remove some comments

d48a623

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DOsinga merged commit 2f083b8 into main Jan 20, 2026
25 of 26 checks passed

DOsinga deleted the user-configurable-templates branch January 20, 2026 22:15

michaelneale added a commit that referenced this pull request Jan 22, 2026

try it before PR #6420

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github-actions bot mentioned this pull request Jan 22, 2026

chore(release): release version 1.21.0 (minor) #6634

Merged

fbalicchia pushed a commit to fbalicchia/goose that referenced this pull request Jan 23, 2026

User configurable templates (block#6420)

c9b2d66

Co-authored-by: Douwe Osinga <douwe@squareup.com> Signed-off-by: fbalicchia <fbalicchia@cuebiq.com>

raj-subhankar pushed a commit to raj-subhankar/goose that referenced this pull request Feb 14, 2026

User configurable templates (block#6420)

4171542

Co-authored-by: Douwe Osinga <douwe@squareup.com>

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DOsinga commented Jan 9, 2026 •

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