skill-cortex

# Skill Cortex

Triggers when installed Skills cannot complete the current task. If you can handle it yourself, just do it — do not trigger this flow.

Cortex data file: ~/.openclaw/skill-cortex/cortex.json (schema in DESIGN.md).

## Phase 1: Perception

1. Read cortex.json (if missing or corrupt, skip to step 3).
2. Semantically match the users task description against sensory.patterns signals.
3. On miss, search ClawHub.

## Phase 2: Validation

Present candidates to the user with safety info. Wait for explicit approval before installing.

## Phase 3: Execution

Install the Skill, generate an execution plan, execute the task. On failure, auto-recover or switch to next candidate.

## Phase 4: Learning

Update the cortex memory. Successful Skills gain weight; failed ones decay.

## Boundary Rules

1. Never interfere with long-term Skills.
2. Installation requires user confirmation.
3. System dependency installation requires separate confirmation.
4. Write operations never enter reflex.
5. Max 2 candidate switches.

# Skill Cortex

**A self-evolving capability manager for [OpenClaw](https://github.com/openclaw) agents.**

Skill Cortex gives your agent the ability to autonomously find, install, use, and discard Skills from [ClawHub](https://clawhub.ai) — and learn from every interaction. The more you use it, the faster it gets.

## The Problem

OpenClaw loads every installed Skill into the system prompt. More Skills = more tokens burned per conversation, even when most are irrelevant to the current task. But uninstalling them means losing capability.

## The Solution

Skill Cortex introduces a **cached Skill layer** — a dynamic, temporary workspace that sits on top of your permanent Skills:

```
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│  User Task                                  │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│  Skill Cortex (this Skill)                  │
│  ┌────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│  │ Sensory   → recognize task type        │ │
│  │ Motor     → route to best Skill        │ │
│  │ Prefrontal→ apply past experience      │ │
│  └────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│  Cached Skills  (on-demand, auto-cleanup)   │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│  Long-term Skills  (user-installed, native) │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────┘
```

## How It Works

**Phase 1 — Perception:** Check local memory first. If the cortex has seen this type of task before, it routes directly to the best known Skill. Otherwise, search ClawHub.

**Phase 2 — Validation:** Present candidates to the user with safety info (stars, downloads, VirusTotal scan, source). Nothing installs without explicit approval.

**Phase 3 — Execution:** Install the Skill, generate an execution plan with side-effect warnings, execute the task. On failure, auto-recover or switch to the next candidate (max 2 switches).

**Phase 4 — Learning:** Update the cortex memory. Successful Skills gain weight; fail...