Harness Lab · 11

Prompt budget audit

Measure fixed empty-session cost; cut tools and skills; re-measure.

~20 min

Requires

Open Harness 06; better after 09 skills

Assumes

Primary model works. You can open Tools and Skills panels (or CLI hermes tools / hermes skills).

If not ready: Harness 06 — First agency

Prompt budget
01
prompt-size
Empty cost
02
Cut tools
One toolset
03
Cut skills
One skill
04
Re-audit
Before → after

Why this lab

Empty sessions still load system prompt, skills index, memory snapshots, tool schemas, and AGENTS.md. Upgrading the model will not fix a bloated fixed budget. This lab measures and cuts.

Audit

Steps · tap to check0/5
Do not delete SOUL or MEMORY to win the audit. Cut unused tools and skills first.

prompt-budget.md template

# prompt-budget.md Before: total […] · top slices: tools […] skills […] memory […] Cuts: toolset […] · skill […] After: total […] Still works: yes/no
Outcome

prompt-budget.md with before/after prompt-size (or Desktop audit) and two concrete cuts (toolset and/or skill).

Proof · this device0/1

Stored on this device only — not sent anywhere.