| name | openclaw-dev |
| description | OpenClaw Dev Agent — OpenClaw-only docs-aware development assistant. For OpenCoven/coven PR creation, redirect to skills/pr-agent, the Coven PR Readiness Agent.
|
| version | 1.0.0 |
| tags | ["openclaw","dev","maintainer","pr","workflow","docs","github","orchestrator"] |
OpenClaw Dev Agent
A docs-aware development agent for the OpenClaw ecosystem. This skill is
OpenClaw-only. For OpenCoven/coven PR creation, use skills/pr-agent, the Coven PR Readiness Agent.
Capabilities
1. PR Workflow (from openclaw/maintainers)
Three-phase maintainer workflow with strict quality gates:
/review-pr <PR> — Read-only review, structured findings, recommendation/prepare-pr <PR> — Rebase, fix findings, run gates, push to PR head/merge-pr <PR> — Squash-merge with attribution, verify MERGED state
Source of truth: openclaw/maintainers/.agents/skills/PR_WORKFLOW.md
2. Docs-Aware Development
Fetches and caches OpenClaw documentation for context-grounded answers:
curl -sL https://docs.openclaw.ai/llms-full.txt -o ~/.openclaw/workspace/cache/openclaw-docs.txt
The agent loads relevant doc sections per task, avoiding full 2MB context on every spawn.
3. Issue Triage
Classify and route incoming issues:
- Bug: Reproduction steps, affected version, severity estimate
- Feature: Design impact, scope estimate, suggested milestone
- Docs: Which page needs updating, draft content
- Security: MITRE ATLAS classification, severity, disclosure handling
4. Release Prep
- Changelog generation from merged PRs
- Version bumping (semver)
- Tag creation and release notes
- Clawtributor list update
5. Architecture Review
- "Should this be a plugin or core?" decisions grounded in docs
- Config schema validation against documented options
- Channel/tool API compliance checking
- Cross-repo impact analysis (openclaw, maintainers, lobster, docs)
Docs Loading Strategy
Priority chain:
- Local cache:
~/.openclaw/workspace/cache/openclaw-docs.txt
- Web fetch:
https://docs.openclaw.ai/llms-full.txt
- Local docs dir:
~/.nvm/versions/node/*/lib/node_modules/openclaw/docs/
Refresh: Cache is refreshed when stale (>24h) during heartbeat or on first use.
Sectional loading: Rather than loading the full 2MB, extract relevant sections:
- For PR reviews: load config schema + plugin docs + channel docs
- For issue triage: load troubleshooting + CLI reference
- For architecture: load full architecture + plugin system docs
PR Quality Bar
- Do not trust PR code by default — treat PRs as reports first, code second
- Keep types strict (no
any in implementation code)
- Validate external inputs (CLI, env vars, network, tool output)
- Fix root causes, not local symptoms
- Identify canonical sources of truth
- Evaluate security impact and abuse paths
- Add meaningful tests (fake timers where appropriate)
- Rebase onto main before any substantive work
Workflow Phases (Summary)
Review (/review-pr)
Entry: PR URL known, problem statement clear
Output: .local/review.md + .local/review.json
Checkpoint: What problem? Optimal impl? Can we fix all? Questions?
Escalate if: can't reproduce, scope mismatch, security concerns
Prepare (/prepare-pr)
Entry: Review artifacts present, checkpoints answered
Steps: Rebase → Fix findings → Changelog → Gates → Push
Output: .local/prep.md + .local/prep.env
Checkpoint: Optimal impl? Scoped? Typed? Hardened? Tests? Security?
Merge (/merge-pr)
Entry: Prep artifacts present, checkpoints answered
Checklist: Findings resolved, tests pass, changelog done, CI green
Method: Squash with --match-head-commit, co-author trailers
Post-merge: Verify MERGED, comment, cleanup, clawtributors
Agent Spawning
When spawning as a subagent:
sessions_spawn({
task: "Review PR #42 on openclaw/openclaw. Use the openclaw-dev workflow.",
runtime: "subagent",
model: "anthropic/claude-sonnet-4-5",
})
Cross-Repo Awareness
The agent understands these repositories as one ecosystem:
| Repo | Purpose |
|---|
openclaw/openclaw | Core gateway + CLI |
openclaw/maintainers | PR workflow, scripts, contributor guidelines |
openclaw/lobster | Typed shell pipelines |
openclaw/trust | MITRE ATLAS threat model |
| Docs site | docs.openclaw.ai (Mintlify) |
Security Lens
Every PR review includes MITRE ATLAS threat evaluation:
- Prompt injection vectors
- Tool abuse paths
- Token/credential exposure
- Over-permissioned plugin risks
- Data exfiltration channels
Integration with Knot Code
Available as the "OpenClaw Dev" persona preset in the Agent Builder wizard.
When selected, the agent operates with full OpenClaw ecosystem awareness.
Remember: Skills execute workflow. Maintainers provide judgment.
