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◆ AI Learning · Hard rule

What files should an AI model read at the start of every session?

An AI model must read important files at the start of every work session. These files contain rules and past lessons. Reading these files prevents the AI model from repeating mistakes.

By Pawan Nayar · from the LLOS AI Learning record

The rule

An AI model must read important files at the start of every work session.

These files contain rules and past lessons. Reading these files prevents the AI model from repeating mistakes.

An AI model must always read a specific set of files. These files include 'mistakes_and_lessons.md'. This file is the most important. It contains rules learned from past problems. Not reading it causes the AI model to make the same mistakes again. Other files also contain important rules. These rules change default behaviors. Not reading them leads to expensive errors.

A developer starts a new project with an AI model. The developer forgets to tell the AI model to read the 'mistakes_and_lessons.md' file. The AI model then makes a mistake that was already solved in a previous project. This causes the developer to spend extra time fixing the known issue.

Words you'll need

Resolved from this lesson's own record — real definitions, not invented for this page.

Knowledge Base

A collection of information the AI can search and reference

Persistent Memory

Memory that remembers past interactions

Retrieval Augmented Generation

AI systems that fetch external documents to inform answers

System Prompt

The instructions you give the AI before asking questions

Questions people ask

More from the same record, pulled by shared topic — not written new for this page.

What files should an AI model always read at the start of a work session?

An AI model must read `mistakes_and_lessons.md` first. This file contains rules learned from past problems.

How can a developer avoid common mistakes when working with an AI system?

A developer should not create new ways to do things. The existing process works well.

What are the critical rules an AI model must follow when working with files, APIs, and sessions?

An AI model must state the full path every time it creates or changes a file. The AI model must list all full paths at the end of a conversation.

What information is lost when an AI model's session ends, and how should a developer update a documentation file?

When an AI model's session ends, all past conversations are gone. Decisions made, problems found, and solutions tried are lost.

What to remember

An AI model must read important files at the start of every work session. These files contain rules and past lessons. Reading these files prevents the AI model from repeating mistakes.