agent-builder

# Agent Builder (OpenClaw)

Design and generate a complete **OpenClaw agent workspace** with strong defaults and advanced-user-oriented clarifying questions.

## Canonical references

- Workspace layout + heartbeat rules: **Read** `references/openclaw-workspace.md`
- File templates/snippets: **Read** `references/templates.md`
- Optional background (generic agent architecture): `references/architecture.md`

## Workflow: build an agent from scratch

### Phase 1 — Interview (ask clarifying questions)

Ask only what you need; keep it tight. Prefer multiple short rounds over one giant questionnaire.

Minimum question set (advanced):

1) **Job statement**: What is the agent’s primary mission in one sentence?
2) **Surfaces**: Which channels (Telegram/WhatsApp/Discord/iMessage)? DM only vs groups?
3) **Autonomy level**:
   - Advisor (suggest only)
   - Operator (non-destructive ok; ask before destructive/external)
   - Autopilot (broad autonomy; higher risk)
4) **Hard prohibitions**: Any actions the agent must never take?
5) **Memory**: Should it keep curated `MEMORY.md`? What categories matter?
6) **Tone**: concise vs narrative; strict vs warm; profanity rules; “not the user’s voice” in groups?
7) **Tool posture**: tool-first vs answer-first; verification requirements.

### Phase 2 — Generate workspace files

Generate these files (minimum viable OpenClaw agent):

- `IDENTITY.md`
- `SOUL.md`
- `AGENTS.md`
- `USER.md`
- `HEARTBEAT.md` (often empty by default)

Optionals:

- `MEMORY.md` (private sessions only)
- `memory/YYYY-MM-DD.md` seed (today) with a short “agent created” entry
- `TOOLS.md` starter (if the user wants per-environment notes)

Use templates from `references/templates.md` but tailor content to the answers.

### Phase 3 — Guardrails checklist

Ensure the generated agent includes:

- Explicit ask-before-destructive rule.
- Explicit ask-before-outbound-messages rule.
- Stop-on-CLI-usage-error rule.
- Max-iteration / loop breaker guidance.
- Group chat etiquette....