enhance todo tool prompt

Author: 0xallam

strix/agents/StrixAgent/system_prompt.jinja

@@ -111,19 +111,6 @@ OPERATIONAL PRINCIPLES:
 - Try multiple approaches simultaneously - don't wait for one to fail
 - Continuously research payloads, bypasses, and exploitation techniques with the web_search tool; integrate findings into automated sprays and validation
 
-TASK TRACKING:
-- USE THE TODO TOOL EXTENSIVELY - this is critical for staying organized and focused
-- Each subagent has their own INDEPENDENT todo list - your todos are private to you
-- KEEP THE LIST SHORT-HORIZON: track only the next few concrete steps (3-6 max), not long-term goals.
-- REWRITE TODOS AS YOU LEARN: update, trim, or reprioritize the list whenever plans change or tasks finish.
-- At the START of any task: Create todos to break down your next steps into clear actions
-- BEFORE starting a task: Mark it as "in_progress" - this shows what you're actively doing
-- AFTER completing a task: Mark it as "done" immediately - don't wait
-- When you discover new tasks: Add them as todos right away and reprioritize; avoid dumping the whole project plan upfront
-- ALWAYS follow this workflow: create → in_progress → done, iterating frequently
-- A well-maintained todo list prevents going in circles, forgetting tasks, and losing focus
-- If you're unsure what to do next: Check your todo list first
-
 EFFICIENCY TACTICS:
 - Automate with Python scripts for complex workflows and repetitive inputs/tasks
 - Batch similar operations together

strix/tools/todo/todo_actions_schema.xml

@@ -1,32 +1,29 @@
 <tools>
   <important>
-  YOU MUST USE THE TODO TOOL EXTENSIVELY — AND DO SO IN BATCHES. Minimize the number of tool calls by grouping creations and status changes together.
+  The todo tool is available for organizing complex tasks when needed. Each subagent has their own
+  separate todo list - your todos are private to you and do not interfere with other agents' todos.
 
-  IMPORTANT: Each subagent has their own separate todo list. Your todos are private to you and
-  do not interfere with other agents' todos. Use this to your advantage.
+  WHEN TO USE TODOS:
+  - Planning complex multi-step operations
+  - Tracking multiple parallel workstreams
+  - When you need to remember tasks to return to later
+  - Organizing large-scope assessments with many components
 
-  WORKFLOW - Follow this for EVERY task:
-  1. Keep the list short-horizon: track only the next few concrete steps (3-6 max), not long-term goals.
-  2. Create/update todos as you learn new info; drop or rewrite items when plans change.
-  3. Batch operations: when setting statuses or priorities for multiple items, use ONE call with the bulk parameters (`updates` or `todo_ids`) instead of one call per todo.
-  4. BEFORE starting a task (or a small set of tasks): Mark them "in_progress" together using a single update_todo call with an `updates` array.
-  5. AFTER completing tasks: Mark them "done" together using one mark_todo_done call with `todo_ids`.
-  6. When you discover new tasks: Add them in one create_todo call (use the `todos` list) and re-prioritize; avoid giant upfront lists.
+  WHEN NOT NEEDED:
+  - Simple, straightforward tasks
+  - Linear workflows where progress is obvious
+  - Short tasks that can be completed quickly
 
-  ALWAYS mark the current task(s) as in_progress before working on them. This shows what you're actively doing. Then mark them done when finished. Do these status updates in batches to avoid excessive tool calls.
-
-  A well-maintained todo list prevents you from going in circles, forgetting important tasks,
-  or losing track of your progress. USE IT CONSTANTLY.
+  If you do use todos, batch operations together to minimize tool calls.
   </important>
 
   <tool name="create_todo">
-    <description>Create a new todo item to track tasks, goals, and progress. USE THIS FREQUENTLY.</description>
-    <details>Use this tool liberally to create actionable items. Break down complex tasks into smaller,
-  manageable todos. Each subagent maintains their own independent todo list - your todos are yours alone.
+    <description>Create a new todo item to track tasks, goals, and progress.</description>
+    <details>Use this tool when you need to track multiple tasks or plan complex operations.
+  Each subagent maintains their own independent todo list - your todos are yours alone.
 
-  Create todos at the start of work to plan your approach, add new ones as you discover tasks,
-  and mark them done as you progress. This keeps you focused, prevents you from forgetting tasks,
-  and provides a clear record of what you've accomplished.</details>
+  Useful for breaking down complex tasks into smaller, manageable items when the workflow
+  is non-trivial or when you need to track progress across multiple components.</details>
     <parameters>
       <parameter name="title" type="string" required="false">
         <description>Short, actionable title for the todo (e.g., "Test login endpoint for SQL injection")</description>
@@ -74,8 +71,8 @@
   </tool>
 
   <tool name="list_todos">
-    <description>List all todos with optional filtering by status or priority. CHECK THIS OFTEN.</description>
-  <details>Use this when you need fresh IDs or to reprioritize. Avoid spamming list_todos; prefer to keep a local view of the list and only refresh when state may be stale or after bulk changes.
+    <description>List all todos with optional filtering by status or priority.</description>
+  <details>Use this when you need to check your current todos, get fresh IDs, or reprioritize.
   The list is sorted: done first, then in_progress, then pending. Within each status, sorted by priority (critical > high > normal > low).
   Each subagent has their own independent todo list.</details>
     <parameters>
@@ -107,13 +104,13 @@
   </tool>
 
   <tool name="update_todo">
-  <description>Update one or multiple todo items. ALWAYS prefer bulk updates in a single call.</description>
+  <description>Update one or multiple todo items. Prefer bulk updates in a single call when updating multiple items.</description>
     <parameters>
       <parameter name="todo_id" type="string" required="false">
         <description>ID of a single todo to update (for simple updates)</description>
       </parameter>
       <parameter name="updates" type="string" required="false">
-        <description>Bulk update multiple todos at once. JSON array of objects with todo_id and fields to update: [{"todo_id": "abc", "status": "done"}, {"todo_id": "def", "priority": "high"}]. USE THIS INSTEAD OF multiple single-item calls.</description>
+        <description>Bulk update multiple todos at once. JSON array of objects with todo_id and fields to update: [{"todo_id": "abc", "status": "done"}, {"todo_id": "def", "priority": "high"}].</description>
       </parameter>
       <parameter name="title" type="string" required="false">
         <description>New title (used with todo_id)</description>
@@ -146,8 +143,8 @@
   </tool>
 
   <tool name="mark_todo_done">
-  <description>Mark one or multiple todos as completed in a single call. DO THIS IN BATCHES after finishing a small group of tasks.</description>
-  <details>Mark todos as done right after completing them - group multiple completions into one call using todo_ids. Avoid one-call-per-item to save tool calls. This keeps your list accurate and gives you a clear picture of progress.</details>
+  <description>Mark one or multiple todos as completed in a single call.</description>
+  <details>Mark todos as done after completing them. Group multiple completions into one call using todo_ids when possible.</details>
     <parameters>
       <parameter name="todo_id" type="string" required="false">
         <description>ID of a single todo to mark as done</description>