botserver/templates/template.gbai

Template for Creating Templates (template.gbai)

A General Bots meta-template that serves as a starting point for creating new bot templates.

Overview

The Template template (yes, it's a template for templates!) provides the essential structure and best practices for creating new General Bots templates. Use this as your foundation when building custom templates for specific use cases.

Features

• Standard Structure - Pre-configured folder hierarchy
• Best Practices - Follows General Bots conventions
• Documentation Ready - Includes README template
• Quick Start - Minimal setup required

Package Structure

template.gbai/
├── README.md                    # This documentation
├── template.gbdialog/           # Dialog scripts
│   └── send.bas                 # Example script (placeholder)
├── template.gbdrive/            # File storage
│   └── (your files here)
├── template.gbkb/               # Knowledge base (optional)
│   └── docs/
└── template.gbot/               # Bot configuration
    └── config.csv

Creating a New Template

Step 1: Copy the Template

cp -r templates/template.gbai templates/your-template.gbai

Step 2: Rename Internal Folders

Rename all internal folders to match your template name:

cd templates/your-template.gbai
mv template.gbdialog your-template.gbdialog
mv template.gbdrive your-template.gbdrive
mv template.gbot your-template.gbot

Step 3: Configure Your Bot

Edit your-template.gbot/config.csv:

name,value
Bot Name,Your Bot Name
Theme Color,blue
Answer Mode,default
LLM Provider,openai

Step 4: Create Dialog Scripts

Add your BASIC scripts to your-template.gbdialog/:

' start.bas - Main entry point
ADD TOOL "your-tool"

USE KB "your-template.gbkb"

CLEAR SUGGESTIONS

ADD SUGGESTION "option1" AS "First Option"
ADD SUGGESTION "option2" AS "Second Option"
ADD SUGGESTION "help" AS "Get Help"

BEGIN TALK
**Your Bot Name**

Welcome! I can help you with:
• Feature 1
• Feature 2
• Feature 3

What would you like to do?
END TALK

BEGIN SYSTEM PROMPT
You are a helpful assistant for [your use case].

Guidelines:
- Be helpful and concise
- Use the available tools when appropriate
- Ask clarifying questions when needed
END SYSTEM PROMPT

Step 5: Add Tools

Create tool scripts with proper parameters:

' your-tool.bas
PARAM input AS STRING LIKE "example" DESCRIPTION "Description of this parameter"
PARAM optional_param AS STRING DESCRIPTION "Optional parameter" OPTIONAL

DESCRIPTION "What this tool does - this helps the LLM decide when to use it"

' Your implementation here
result = DO_SOMETHING(input)

IF result THEN
    RETURN result
ELSE
    RETURN {"error": "Something went wrong"}
END IF

Step 6: Add Knowledge Base (Optional)

If your template needs reference documentation:

your-template.gbkb/
└── docs/
    ├── feature1.md
    ├── feature2.md
    └── faq.md

Step 7: Update README

Replace this README with documentation for your template:

# Your Template Name (your-template.gbai)

Description of what your template does.

## Overview

Detailed overview...

## Features

- Feature 1
- Feature 2
- Feature 3

## Package Structure

(Document your structure)

## Configuration

(Document configuration options)

## Usage

(Document how to use)

## Customization

(Document how to customize)

## License

AGPL-3.0 - Part of General Bots Open Source Platform.

Template Checklist

Before publishing your template, ensure:

• All folders renamed to match template name
• config.csv configured with appropriate defaults
• start.bas provides clear entry point
• All tools have PARAM and DESCRIPTION
• System prompt guides LLM behavior
• README documents all features
• No hardcoded credentials or secrets
• Error handling implemented
• Example conversations documented

Naming Conventions

Item	Convention	Example
Template folder	kebab-case.gbai	my-crm.gbai
Dialog scripts	kebab-case.bas	add-contact.bas
Tools	kebab-case	search-products
Config keys	Title Case	Theme Color
Table names	PascalCase	CustomerOrders

Best Practices

Dialog Scripts

1. Clear entry point - start.bas should be the main entry
2. Register tools - Use ADD TOOL for LLM-callable functions
3. Set context - Use SET CONTEXT and BEGIN SYSTEM PROMPT
4. Add suggestions - Guide users with quick actions
5. Welcome message - Use BEGIN TALK for introduction

Tools

1. Descriptive names - Tool names should indicate function
2. Parameter examples - Use LIKE to show expected format
3. Clear descriptions - Help LLM understand when to use
4. Return values - Always return meaningful results
5. Error handling - Handle edge cases gracefully

Configuration

1. Sensible defaults - Work out of the box
2. Document options - Explain each setting
3. No secrets - Use environment variables for credentials
4. Flexible - Allow customization without code changes

Documentation

1. Clear overview - Explain what the template does
2. Feature list - Highlight capabilities
3. Usage examples - Show common scenarios
4. Configuration guide - Document all settings
5. Troubleshooting - Address common issues

File Templates

config.csv Template

name,value
Bot Name,Your Bot Name
Theme Color,blue
Answer Mode,default
LLM Provider,openai
Admin Email,admin@company.com

start.bas Template

' Register tools
ADD TOOL "tool-name"

' Load knowledge base
USE KB "your-template.gbkb"

' Configure suggestions
CLEAR SUGGESTIONS
ADD SUGGESTION "action" AS "Do Something"

' Welcome message
BEGIN TALK
**Bot Name**

Welcome message here.
END TALK

' System prompt
BEGIN SYSTEM PROMPT
You are a helpful assistant.
Define behavior and guidelines here.
END SYSTEM PROMPT

Tool Template

PARAM required_param AS STRING LIKE "example" DESCRIPTION "What this is"
PARAM optional_param AS STRING DESCRIPTION "Optional input" OPTIONAL

DESCRIPTION "What this tool does"

' Implementation
result = YOUR_LOGIC_HERE

IF result THEN
    RETURN result
ELSE
    RETURN {"error": "Error message"}
END IF

Publishing Your Template

1. Test thoroughly - Verify all features work
2. Document completely - Users should be self-sufficient
3. Follow conventions - Consistent with other templates
4. Update main README - Add to templates list
5. Submit PR - Include template and documentation

Related Resources

• General Bots Documentation
• BASIC Dialog Reference
• Template Samples
• Existing Templates

Support

For questions about creating templates:

• Documentation: See General Bots docs
• Issues: GitHub Issues
• Community: Discord/Slack channels

License

AGPL-3.0 - Part of General Bots Open Source Platform.

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Pragmatismo - General Bots