Pre-reads

Pre-reads are project files that are automatically included in every conversation. They give the agent context about your project structure, conventions, and important files without you having to mention them each time.

How Pre-reads Work

When you start a new conversation, Swordfish automatically searches for:

• AGENTS.md
• CLAUDE.md
• GEMINI.md
• Files in .cursor/rules directories (at root or in subdirectories)

These files are read and included in the system prompt, so the agent always has context about your project.

Managing Pre-reads

In the extension, you'll see a "Pre-reads" section that shows:

• Files that were automatically found
• Files you've manually selected
• A search box to find additional files

Adding Files

1. Click the search box in the Pre-reads section
2. Type a file path or pattern (e.g., FEATURE_INSTRUCTIONS.md or **/*.md)
3. Click "Search" to find matching files
4. Select files from the search results
5. Selected files are automatically included in future conversations

Removing Files

Uncheck files in the Pre-reads list to exclude them from future conversations. They'll still be found in searches if you need them later.

Best Practices

• Include AGENTS.md or CLAUDE.md - These files contain instructions for AI agents working on your project
• Include .cursor/rules files - These contain project-specific rules and guidelines
• Include feature instructions - Files like FEATURE_INSTRUCTIONS.md help the agent understand your project structure
• Don't overdo it - Too many pre-reads can slow down the agent. Focus on essential context files

What Gets Included

When files are pre-read, the agent receives:

• The full file path
• The complete file contents
• A formatted list of all pre-read files

This information is included in the system prompt, so it's available from the start of every conversation.