3 / 5Harness Labs · 20 min read

Prompt budget audit

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

00of 03 sections behind you

Why this lab

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

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 the number to check0/5
  1. Run hermes prompt-size (offline OK) or the Desktop prompt-budget / context audit if labeled differently. Record total and top slices in prompt-budget.md.
  2. List enabled toolsets. Disable one you never use for this profile (hermes tools or Desktop Tools).
  3. List skills. Uninstall or disable one “for later” skill.
  4. Re-run the audit. Write before → after numbers.
  5. One-line chat: confirm the agent still works for a simple task.
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

You are done when

Proof · this device0/1

Stored on this device only — not sent anywhere.