v2.6.0 - Custom Instructions, Prompt Enhancements & Migration Fix

Custom Instructions (instructions.md)

Add your own instructions to shape how Ava responds.

• Settings → Custom Instructions — Import an instructions.md file or paste content
• Custom instructions are appended to the system prompt as "Additional User Instructions"
• Protected core directives — Tool completion, no fabrication, orchestration rules, and Ava identity cannot be overridden by user instructions

System prompt improvements

• Refined identity, response rules, search triage, and tool orchestration
• Intent-based search triage instead of fixed priority
• Step budget clarified: "Do not stop early unless the objective is satisfied"
• Search scaling: prefer 1–2 targeted searches; add more only when addressing clearly distinct sub-topics and staying within the step budget
• Explicit guidance for fiscal/quarter-based queries to derive period from the provided date

Tool orchestration updates

• Resolution model: Fully Resolved, Partially Resolved, Blocked
• MCP rules: max 3 consecutive calls before alternating with search
• Completion: stop only when objective is met, NetSuite operation completes, or the system ends the turn
• Protected directives prevent user instructions from overriding safety and orchestration rules

Bug fix: migrations (inceptionApiKey)

2.4.0 added inceptionApiKey to the schema and journal but the migration file was never committed. 2.5.0 did not fix this. Users on 2.4.0/2.5.0 could see "column already exists" or missing-column errors.

Migration 0006_illegal_sunfire now adds inceptionApiKey and customInstructions with IF NOT EXISTS for reliable fresh installs and upgrades.

Technical

• New customInstructions column in UserSettings
• PROTECTED_DIRECTIVES in prompts.ts enforce non-overridable core rules when custom instructions are present