ConnectOnion

File Format Support

Use any text file format for system prompts. ConnectOnion just reads the content.

Key Point: All formats below create identical agents. ConnectOnion doesn't parse the format - it just reads the text content and passes it to the LLM.
1

Direct String

Pass prompt directly in code (most common)

How to Use Direct String
from connectonion import Agent

# Pass prompt directly as string
agent = Agent(
    name="assistant",
    system_prompt="""You are a helpful AI assistant with expertise in Python programming and software development.

Core Principles:
- Be concise and clear in responses
- Provide code examples when helpful
- Explain complex concepts simply
- Focus on practical solutions

Communication Style: Professional yet friendly, using technical terms when appropriate but always ensuring clarity.""",
    tools=[your_tools]
)

# Use the agent
response = agent.input("Hello!")
print(response)
system_prompt=""" ... """Inline content
You are a helpful AI assistant with expertise in Python programming and software development.

Core Principles:
- Be concise and clear in responses
- Provide code examples when helpful
- Explain complex concepts simply
- Focus on practical solutions

Communication Style: Professional yet friendly, using technical terms when appropriate but always ensuring clarity.
2

Markdown File

Structured format with headers and sections

.md
How to Use Markdown File
from connectonion import Agent

# Load from markdown file
agent = Agent(
    name="assistant",
    system_prompt="prompts/assistant.md",
    tools=[your_tools]
)

# Use the agent
response = agent.input("Hello!")
print(response)
assistant.mdFile content
# AI Assistant

You are a helpful AI assistant with expertise in Python programming and software development.

## Core Principles
- Be concise and clear in responses
- Provide code examples when helpful
- Explain complex concepts simply
- Focus on practical solutions

## Communication Style
Professional yet friendly, using technical terms when appropriate but always ensuring clarity.
3

Plain Text File

Simple text format

.txt
How to Use Plain Text File
from connectonion import Agent

# Load from plain text file
agent = Agent(
    name="assistant",
    system_prompt="prompts/assistant.txt",
    tools=[your_tools]
)

# Use the agent
response = agent.input("Hello!")
print(response)
assistant.txtFile content
You are a helpful AI assistant with expertise in Python programming and software development.

Core Principles:
- Be concise and clear in responses
- Provide code examples when helpful
- Explain complex concepts simply
- Focus on practical solutions

Communication Style: Professional yet friendly, using technical terms when appropriate but always ensuring clarity.
4

YAML File

Configuration-style key-value format

.yaml
How to Use YAML File
from connectonion import Agent

# Load from yaml file
agent = Agent(
    name="assistant",
    system_prompt="prompts/assistant.yaml",
    tools=[your_tools]
)

# Use the agent
response = agent.input("Hello!")
print(response)
assistant.yamlFile content
role: AI Assistant
description: A helpful AI assistant with expertise in Python programming and software development

core_principles:
  - Be concise and clear in responses
  - Provide code examples when helpful
  - Explain complex concepts simply
  - Focus on practical solutions

communication_style: Professional yet friendly, using technical terms when appropriate but always ensuring clarity
5

JSON File

Structured data format

.json
How to Use JSON File
from connectonion import Agent

# Load from json file
agent = Agent(
    name="assistant",
    system_prompt="prompts/assistant.json",
    tools=[your_tools]
)

# Use the agent
response = agent.input("Hello!")
print(response)
assistant.jsonFile content
{
  "role": "AI Assistant",
  "description": "A helpful AI assistant with expertise in Python programming and software development",
  "core_principles": [
    "Be concise and clear in responses",
    "Provide code examples when helpful",
    "Explain complex concepts simply",
    "Focus on practical solutions"
  ],
  "communication_style": "Professional yet friendly, using technical terms when appropriate but always ensuring clarity"
}
6

No Extension File

Any text file works

How to Use No Extension File
from connectonion import Agent

# Load from no extension file
agent = Agent(
    name="assistant",
    system_prompt="prompts/assistant",
    tools=[your_tools]
)

# Use the agent
response = agent.input("Hello!")
print(response)
assistantFile content
You are a helpful AI assistant with expertise in Python programming and software development.

Core Principles:
- Be concise and clear in responses
- Provide code examples when helpful
- Explain complex concepts simply
- Focus on practical solutions

Communication Style: Professional yet friendly, using technical terms when appropriate but always ensuring clarity.

All Create the Same Agent

Equivalent Usage
# All of these create identical agents:
agent = Agent("bot", system_prompt="""You are a helpful...""")  # Direct String
agent = Agent("bot", system_prompt="prompts/assistant.md")      # Markdown File
agent = Agent("bot", system_prompt="prompts/assistant.txt")     # Plain Text File
agent = Agent("bot", system_prompt="prompts/assistant.yaml")    # YAML File
agent = Agent("bot", system_prompt="prompts/assistant.json")    # JSON File
agent = Agent("bot", system_prompt="prompts/assistant")         # No Extension File

Why This Matters

✅ No Vendor Lock-in

Use any format your team prefers. Switch formats without changing code.

✅ Future-Proof

New formats work automatically. No need to wait for framework updates.

✅ Simple

No complex parsing or schemas. Just reads the text content.

✅ Flexible

Team uses YAML? Use YAML. Prefer Markdown? Use Markdown.