# How to Add Always-On Behavior to Zed Agent Using AGENTS.md vs Skills Manager

> Learn to add always-on behavior to Zed Agent using AGENTS.md for persistent rules or Skills Manager for temporary activation. Customize your ADHD-friendly workflow.

- Repository: [Ayoub Ghriss/i-have-adhd](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd)
- Tags: how-to-guide
- Published: 2026-09-10

---

**Enable persistent ADHD-friendly rules in Zed Agent by creating a flag file at `~/.config/zed/.i-have-adhd-always` and adding the ruleset to an [`AGENTS.md`](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/AGENTS.md) file, or use the Skills Manager for temporary session-only activation.**

The `ayghri/i-have-adhd` repository provides a curated set of response rules optimized for ADHD workflows, stored in [`skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md`](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md). To apply these rules automatically to every Zed Agent interaction, you must choose between a permanent file-based configuration or a temporary UI-based approach.

## Understanding the Always-On Architecture

Zed Agent processes *Agent Skills* defined in markdown files. The canonical skill definition resides in [`skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md`](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md), which contains the 10 ADHD-friendly response rules [1†L29-L33]. The always-on mechanism relies on a **flag file** that signals Zed to inject the full ruleset into the system prompt on each turn.

When the flag file `~/.config/zed/.i-have-adhd-always` exists, Zed prepends the ADHD rules to every model call. This behavior mirrors the logic found in the repository's `hooks/always-on.*` scripts [2†L143-L144], which generate the activation banner and handle flag detection.

## Method 1: Enable Persistent Always-On Mode with AGENTS.md

For permanent activation across all projects, configure a global or project-local [`AGENTS.md`](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/AGENTS.md) file as documented in [`INSTALL.md`](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/INSTALL.md) [2†L674-L676][2†L710-L713].

### Step 1: Create the Flag File

Create a zero-byte marker file to enable the always-on state:

```bash
touch ~/.config/zed/.i-have-adhd-always

```

This file acts as a persistent toggle. Delete it to disable the behavior permanently without modifying your configuration files.

### Step 2: Add the Ruleset to AGENTS.md

Create or edit your [`AGENTS.md`](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/AGENTS.md) file. Zed checks two locations:
- **Global**: `~/.config/zed/AGENTS.md` (recommended for personal use)
- **Project-local**: [`AGENTS.md`](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/AGENTS.md) in the project root (loaded automatically when the project opens)

Insert the following snippet, replacing the placeholder with the full contents of [`skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md`](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md):

```markdown
ADHD MODE ACTIVE (always-on). The ruleset below applies to every response.
Delete ~/.config/zed/.i-have-adhd-always to turn always-on off for good.

<contents of skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md>

```

### Step 3: Restart Zed

Reload Zed or reopen your project. The console output will display "ADHD MODE ACTIVE (always-on)", confirming that the hooks are injecting the rules into every system prompt [2†L143-L144].

## Method 2: Temporary Activation via Skills Manager

For short-term testing or single-session use, use Zed's built-in Skills Manager:

1. Open Zed and navigate to the **Sidebar** → **Skills Manager**.
2. Click **"Add New Skill"** and paste the entire contents of [`skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md`](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md).
3. Save the skill to activate it immediately.

**Important limitation**: The Skills Manager stores skills only in session memory. The rules disappear when you restart Zed, making this method unsuitable for persistent always-on behavior.

## AGENTS.md vs Skills Manager: Which to Choose?

| Aspect | AGENTS.md | Skills Manager |
|--------|-----------|----------------|
| **Persistence** | Persistent across sessions (controlled by flag file) | Ephemeral (session-only) |
| **Setup** | Requires editing a text file and creating a flag file | Simple UI-based paste and save |
| **Visibility** | Shows "ADHD MODE ACTIVE" banner in console output | No visible indicator in output |
| **Scope** | Global or per-project via file location | Limited to current window |

Many users maintain the snippet in their **global AGENTS.md** for permanent activation while keeping a copy in the Skills Manager for quick ad-hoc testing on unfamiliar machines.

## Summary

- **Persistent always-on**: Create `~/.config/zed/.i-have-adhd-always` and add the ruleset to `~/.config/zed/AGENTS.md` or a project-local [`AGENTS.md`](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/AGENTS.md) file.
- **Temporary activation**: Paste [`skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md`](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/skills/i-have-adhd/SKILL.md) into the Skills Manager for the current session only.
- The flag file mechanism ensures rules inject automatically into every model call, while the Skills Manager offers UI convenience without persistence.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Where does Zed look for AGENTS.md files?

Zed reads [`AGENTS.md`](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/AGENTS.md) from two locations: the global configuration directory at `~/.config/zed/AGENTS.md` (applied to all projects), or a file named [`AGENTS.md`](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/AGENTS.md) in the root of the currently opened project [2†L674-L676][2†L710-L713].

### Why doesn't the Skills Manager persist my ADHD rules?

The Skills Manager stores skills in volatile session memory rather than on disk. When you close Zed, the skill state resets. This design prioritizes quick experimentation over permanent configuration, making the [`AGENTS.md`](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/AGENTS.md) approach necessary for true always-on behavior.

### What happens if I delete the flag file?

Removing `~/.config/zed/.i-have-adhd-always` immediately disables the always-on injection. Zed will stop prepending the ADHD ruleset to subsequent prompts, though the [`AGENTS.md`](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/AGENTS.md) snippet remains in place for easy reactivation.

### Can I use both AGENTS.md and Skills Manager simultaneously?

Yes. You can maintain persistent rules via [`AGENTS.md`](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/AGENTS.md) while loading additional temporary skills through the Skills Manager. Both rule sets will apply to your conversations, though the Skills Manager version will vanish on restart while the [`AGENTS.md`](https://github.com/ayghri/i-have-adhd/blob/main/AGENTS.md) configuration persists.