# NousResearch/hermes-agent · curator prune_builtins default changed to opt-in

## Open now

- 0 issues, 1 PR open on GitHub.
- PR #105219: fix(skills): default curator.prune_builtins to false

A bug was identified where curator.prune_builtins defaulted to true, causing bundled skills to be archived without explicit user opt-in. Multiple fixes across CLI, skills, and agent components change the default to false.

## TL;DR

- 5 member(s): 0 open issue(s), 1 closed issue(s), 1 open PR(s), 1 merged PR(s), 2 PR(s) closed without merging.
- A fix was merged to main in PR #115862. Verify it addresses your case.
- **Recommended:** read PR #115862 (and any competing PRs below) before filing. Confirm the merged change covers your symptom.

## Maintainer resolution verdict

- Internal-tracker verdict over this cluster's issue members: `unresolved`. This is distinct from the fix status above. Weigh it yourself.

## How this cluster was grouped

- Link evidence (`STRUCTURAL_SPANNING`): every member is connected by structural evidence: shared changed files, or a closing/superseded reference.
- Pairwise link density `0.40`: the share of member pairs that carry a link, counting a structural link in full and a relevance-only link at 0.36. `1.00` means every pair is linked.

## Closed / duplicate issues

- #103098: \[Bug\]: \`curator.prune_builtins\` defaults to true, allowing bundled skills to be archived without explicit opt-in

## Prior & competing PRs

- **#115862: Skill curator: CLI prompt no longer waits on it, storage stops growing (1.9 GB → ~200 MB), built-in pruning opt-in**. merged to main · fix tier `verified`
  - maintainer direction: category `merged`
  - files: `agent/curator.py`, `agent/curator_backup.py`, `cli.py`, `hermes_cli/config_defaults.py`, `hermes_cli/curator.py`, `tests/agent/test_curator.py`, `tests/agent/test_curator_backup.py`, `tests/agent/test_curator_run_hygiene.py`, `tests/hermes_cli/test_cli_startup_maintenance_off_main_thread.py`, `tests/tools/test_skill_ledger_delta.py`, `tests/tools/test_skill_usage.py`, `tools/skill_ledger.py`, `tools/skill_usage.py`, `website/docs/user-guide/features/curator.md`
- **#103112: fix(curator): default prune_builtins to false, opt-in only**. closed without merge
  - maintainer direction: category `implemented_elsewhere`; implication `superseded`; refs `1b8e4c513d6`, `#115862`, `#79295`
- **#103971: fix(agent): default curator.prune_builtins to false (#103098)**. closed without merge
  - maintainer direction: category `duplicate_of`; implication `duplicate`; refs `#103112`, `#103098`
- **#105219: fix(skills): default curator.prune_builtins to false**. open
  - maintainer direction: category `duplicate_of`; implication `duplicate`; refs `#103112`, `#103098`
  - files: `agent/curator.py`, `hermes_cli/config_defaults.py`, `tests/agent/test_curator.py`, `tests/tools/test_skill_usage.py`, `tools/skill_usage.py`, `website/docs/user-guide/features/curator.md`, `website/i18n/zh-Hans/docusaurus-plugin-content-docs/current/user-guide/features/curator.md`

## Fix status

- Merged to main in PR #115862 (cited above). No release data is tracked. Verify downstream.
- Fix last verified (merged) `2026-09-19`.
- Subsystem: `skills`