feat: reuse current plugin metadata for provider discovery

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ Docs: https://docs.openclaw.ai
 - Plugins/models: wire manifest `modelCatalog.aliases` and `modelCatalog.suppressions` into model-catalog planning and built-in model suppression, with OpenAI stale Spark suppression now declared in the plugin manifest before runtime fallback. Thanks @shakkernerd.
 - Channels/Yuanbao: register the Tencent Yuanbao external channel plugin (`openclaw-plugin-yuanbao`) in the official channel catalog, contract suites, and community plugin docs, with a new `docs/channels/yuanbao.md` quick-start guide for WebSocket bot DMs and group chats. (#72756) Thanks @loongfay.
 - Channels/QQBot: add full group chat support (history tracking, @-mention gating, activation modes, per-group config, FIFO message queue with deliver debounce), C2C `stream_messages` streaming with a `StreamingController` lifecycle manager, unified `sendMedia` with chunked upload for large files, and refactor the engine into pipeline stages, focused outbound submodules, builtin slash-command modules, and explicit DI ports via `createEngineAdapters()`. (#70624) Thanks @cxyhhhhh.
+- Gateway/runtime: reuse the current plugin metadata snapshot for provider discovery so repeated model-provider discovery avoids rebuilding plugin manifest metadata. Thanks @shakkernerd.
 - Gateway/startup: pass the plugin metadata snapshot from config validation into plugin bootstrap so startup reuses one manifest product instead of rebuilding plugin metadata. Thanks @shakkernerd.
 
 ## 2026.4.26

docs/plugins/architecture.md

@@ -151,6 +151,8 @@ Gateway startup builds one `PluginMetadataSnapshot` for the current config snaps
 
 Plugin-aware config validation, startup auto-enable, and Gateway plugin bootstrap consume that snapshot instead of rebuilding manifest/index metadata independently. `PluginLookUpTable` is derived from the same snapshot and adds the startup plugin plan for the current runtime config.
 
+After startup, Gateway keeps the current metadata snapshot as a replaceable runtime product. Repeated runtime provider discovery can borrow that snapshot instead of reconstructing the installed index and manifest registry for each provider-catalog pass. The snapshot is cleared or replaced on Gateway shutdown, config/plugin inventory changes, and installed index writes; callers fall back to the cold manifest/index path when no compatible current snapshot exists.
+
 The snapshot and lookup table keep repeated startup decisions on the fast path:
 
 - channel ownership

src/agents/models-config.applies-config-env-vars.test.ts

@@ -1,8 +1,12 @@
 import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
 import type { OpenClawConfig } from "../config/config.js";
 import { createConfigRuntimeEnv } from "../config/env-vars.js";
+import type { PluginMetadataSnapshot } from "../plugins/plugin-metadata-snapshot.js";
 import { unsetEnv, withTempEnv } from "./models-config.e2e-harness.js";
-import { resolveProvidersForModelsJsonWithDeps } from "./models-config.plan.js";
+import {
+  planOpenClawModelsJsonWithDeps,
+  resolveProvidersForModelsJsonWithDeps,
+} from "./models-config.plan.js";
 import type { ProviderConfig } from "./models-config.providers.secrets.js";
 
 const TEST_ENV_VAR = "OPENCLAW_MODELS_CONFIG_TEST_ENV";
@@ -72,6 +76,64 @@ async function resolveProvidersAndCaptureDiscoveryEnv(cfg: OpenClawConfig) {
 }
 
 describe("models-config", () => {
+  it("threads plugin metadata snapshots into implicit provider discovery", async () => {
+    const pluginMetadataSnapshot = {
+      index: { plugins: [] },
+      manifestRegistry: { plugins: [], diagnostics: [] },
+      owners: { providers: new Map() },
+    } as unknown as Pick<PluginMetadataSnapshot, "index" | "manifestRegistry" | "owners">;
+    let observedSnapshot:
+      | Pick<PluginMetadataSnapshot, "index" | "manifestRegistry" | "owners">
+      | undefined;
+
+    await resolveProvidersForModelsJsonWithDeps(
+      {
+        cfg: { models: { providers: {} } },
+        agentDir: "/tmp/openclaw-models-config-env-vars-test",
+        env: {},
+        pluginMetadataSnapshot,
+      },
+      {
+        resolveImplicitProviders: async ({ pluginMetadataSnapshot: receivedSnapshot }) => {
+          observedSnapshot = receivedSnapshot;
+          return {};
+        },
+      },
+    );
+
+    expect(observedSnapshot).toBe(pluginMetadataSnapshot);
+  });
+
+  it("threads plugin metadata snapshots through models.json planning", async () => {
+    const pluginMetadataSnapshot = {
+      index: { plugins: [] },
+      manifestRegistry: { plugins: [], diagnostics: [] },
+      owners: { providers: new Map() },
+    } as unknown as Pick<PluginMetadataSnapshot, "index" | "manifestRegistry" | "owners">;
+    let observedSnapshot:
+      | Pick<PluginMetadataSnapshot, "index" | "manifestRegistry" | "owners">
+      | undefined;
+
+    await planOpenClawModelsJsonWithDeps(
+      {
+        cfg: { models: { providers: {} } },
+        agentDir: "/tmp/openclaw-models-config-env-vars-test",
+        env: {},
+        existingRaw: "",
+        existingParsed: null,
+        pluginMetadataSnapshot,
+      },
+      {
+        resolveImplicitProviders: async ({ pluginMetadataSnapshot: receivedSnapshot }) => {
+          observedSnapshot = receivedSnapshot;
+          return {};
+        },
+      },
+    );
+
+    expect(observedSnapshot).toBe(pluginMetadataSnapshot);
+  });
+
   it("uses config env.vars entries for implicit provider discovery without mutating process.env", async () => {
     await withTempEnv(["OPENROUTER_API_KEY", TEST_ENV_VAR], async () => {
       unsetEnv(["OPENROUTER_API_KEY", TEST_ENV_VAR]);

src/agents/models-config.plan.ts

@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import type { OpenClawConfig } from "../config/types.openclaw.js";
+import type { PluginMetadataSnapshot } from "../plugins/plugin-metadata-snapshot.js";
 import { isRecord } from "../utils.js";
 import {
   mergeProviders,
@@ -19,6 +20,7 @@ export type ResolveImplicitProvidersForModelsJson = (params: {
   config: OpenClawConfig;
   env: NodeJS.ProcessEnv;
   explicitProviders: Record<string, ProviderConfig>;
+  pluginMetadataSnapshot?: Pick<PluginMetadataSnapshot, "index" | "manifestRegistry" | "owners">;
 }) => Promise<Record<string, ProviderConfig>>;
 
 export type ModelsJsonPlan =
@@ -38,6 +40,7 @@ export async function resolveProvidersForModelsJsonWithDeps(
     cfg: OpenClawConfig;
     agentDir: string;
     env: NodeJS.ProcessEnv;
+    pluginMetadataSnapshot?: Pick<PluginMetadataSnapshot, "index" | "manifestRegistry" | "owners">;
   },
   deps?: {
     resolveImplicitProviders?: ResolveImplicitProvidersForModelsJson;
@@ -51,6 +54,9 @@ export async function resolveProvidersForModelsJsonWithDeps(
     config: cfg,
     env,
     explicitProviders,
+    ...(params.pluginMetadataSnapshot
+      ? { pluginMetadataSnapshot: params.pluginMetadataSnapshot }
+      : {}),
   });
   return mergeProviders({
     implicit: implicitProviders,
@@ -90,13 +96,24 @@ export async function planOpenClawModelsJsonWithDeps(
     env: NodeJS.ProcessEnv;
     existingRaw: string;
     existingParsed: unknown;
+    pluginMetadataSnapshot?: Pick<PluginMetadataSnapshot, "index" | "manifestRegistry" | "owners">;
   },
   deps?: {
     resolveImplicitProviders?: ResolveImplicitProvidersForModelsJson;
   },
 ): Promise<ModelsJsonPlan> {
   const { cfg, agentDir, env } = params;
-  const providers = await resolveProvidersForModelsJsonWithDeps({ cfg, agentDir, env }, deps);
+  const providers = await resolveProvidersForModelsJsonWithDeps(
+    {
+      cfg,
+      agentDir,
+      env,
+      ...(params.pluginMetadataSnapshot
+        ? { pluginMetadataSnapshot: params.pluginMetadataSnapshot }
+        : {}),
+    },
+    deps,
+  );
 
   if (Object.keys(providers).length === 0) {
     return { action: "skip" };

src/agents/models-config.providers.implicit.ts

@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import type { OpenClawConfig } from "../config/types.openclaw.js";
 import { formatErrorMessage } from "../infra/errors.js";
 import { createSubsystemLogger } from "../logging/subsystem.js";
+import type { PluginMetadataSnapshot } from "../plugins/plugin-metadata-snapshot.js";
 import {
   groupPluginDiscoveryProvidersByOrder,
   normalizePluginDiscoveryResult,
@@ -43,6 +44,7 @@ type ImplicitProviderParams = {
   env?: NodeJS.ProcessEnv;
   workspaceDir?: string;
   explicitProviders?: Record<string, ProviderConfig> | null;
+  pluginMetadataSnapshot?: Pick<PluginMetadataSnapshot, "index" | "manifestRegistry" | "owners">;
 };
 
 type ImplicitProviderContext = ImplicitProviderParams & {
@@ -367,7 +369,13 @@ export async function resolveImplicitProviders(
       config: params.config,
       workspaceDir: params.workspaceDir,
       env,
+      resolveOwners: params.pluginMetadataSnapshot
+        ? (provider) => params.pluginMetadataSnapshot?.owners.providers.get(provider)
+        : undefined,
     }),
+    ...(params.pluginMetadataSnapshot
+      ? { pluginMetadataSnapshot: params.pluginMetadataSnapshot }
+      : {}),
   });
 
   for (const order of PLUGIN_DISCOVERY_ORDERS) {

src/agents/models-config.ts

@@ -7,6 +7,9 @@ import {
   type OpenClawConfig,
 } from "../config/config.js";
 import { createConfigRuntimeEnv } from "../config/env-vars.js";
+import { getCurrentPluginMetadataSnapshot } from "../plugins/current-plugin-metadata-snapshot.js";
+import { resolveInstalledManifestRegistryIndexFingerprint } from "../plugins/manifest-registry-installed.js";
+import type { PluginMetadataSnapshot } from "../plugins/plugin-metadata-snapshot.js";
 import { resolveOpenClawAgentDir } from "./agent-paths.js";
 import { MODELS_JSON_STATE } from "./models-config-state.js";
 import { planOpenClawModelsJson } from "./models-config.plan.js";
@@ -41,18 +44,23 @@ async function buildModelsJsonFingerprint(params: {
   config: OpenClawConfig;
   sourceConfigForSecrets: OpenClawConfig;
   agentDir: string;
+  pluginMetadataSnapshot?: Pick<PluginMetadataSnapshot, "index">;
 }): Promise<string> {
   const authProfilesMtimeMs = await readFileMtimeMs(
     path.join(params.agentDir, "auth-profiles.json"),
   );
   const modelsFileMtimeMs = await readFileMtimeMs(path.join(params.agentDir, "models.json"));
   const envShape = createConfigRuntimeEnv(params.config, {});
+  const pluginMetadataSnapshotIndexFingerprint = params.pluginMetadataSnapshot
+    ? resolveInstalledManifestRegistryIndexFingerprint(params.pluginMetadataSnapshot.index)
+    : undefined;
   return stableStringify({
     config: params.config,
     sourceConfigForSecrets: params.sourceConfigForSecrets,
     envShape,
     authProfilesMtimeMs,
     modelsFileMtimeMs,
+    pluginMetadataSnapshotIndexFingerprint,
   });
 }
 
@@ -138,15 +146,21 @@ async function withModelsJsonWriteLock<T>(targetPath: string, run: () => Promise
 export async function ensureOpenClawModelsJson(
   config?: OpenClawConfig,
   agentDirOverride?: string,
+  options: {
+    pluginMetadataSnapshot?: Pick<PluginMetadataSnapshot, "index" | "manifestRegistry" | "owners">;
+  } = {},
 ): Promise<{ agentDir: string; wrote: boolean }> {
   const resolved = resolveModelsConfigInput(config);
   const cfg = resolved.config;
+  const pluginMetadataSnapshot =
+    options.pluginMetadataSnapshot ?? getCurrentPluginMetadataSnapshot({ config: cfg });
   const agentDir = agentDirOverride?.trim() ? agentDirOverride.trim() : resolveOpenClawAgentDir();
   const targetPath = path.join(agentDir, "models.json");
   const fingerprint = await buildModelsJsonFingerprint({
     config: cfg,
     sourceConfigForSecrets: resolved.sourceConfigForSecrets,
     agentDir,
+    ...(pluginMetadataSnapshot ? { pluginMetadataSnapshot } : {}),
   });
   const cached = MODELS_JSON_STATE.readyCache.get(targetPath);
   if (cached) {
@@ -169,6 +183,7 @@ export async function ensureOpenClawModelsJson(
       env,
       existingRaw: existingModelsFile.raw,
       existingParsed: existingModelsFile.parsed,
+      ...(pluginMetadataSnapshot ? { pluginMetadataSnapshot } : {}),
     });
 
     if (plan.action === "skip") {

src/gateway/server.impl.ts

@@ -31,6 +31,10 @@ import type { VoiceWakeRoutingConfig } from "../infra/voicewake-routing.js";
 import { startDiagnosticHeartbeat, stopDiagnosticHeartbeat } from "../logging/diagnostic.js";
 import { createSubsystemLogger, runtimeForLogger } from "../logging/subsystem.js";
 import { getActiveBundledRuntimeDepsInstallCount } from "../plugins/bundled-runtime-deps-activity.js";
+import {
+  clearCurrentPluginMetadataSnapshot,
+  setCurrentPluginMetadataSnapshot,
+} from "../plugins/current-plugin-metadata-snapshot.js";
 import { runGlobalGatewayStopSafely } from "../plugins/hook-runner-global.js";
 import type { PluginRuntime } from "../plugins/runtime/types.js";
 import { getTotalQueueSize } from "../process/command-queue.js";
@@ -424,6 +428,7 @@ export async function startGatewayServer(
     pluginLookUpTable,
     baseMethods,
   } = pluginBootstrap;
+  setCurrentPluginMetadataSnapshot(pluginLookUpTable, { config: gatewayPluginConfigAtStart });
   if (pluginLookUpTable) {
     const metrics = pluginLookUpTable.metrics;
     startupTrace.detail("plugins.lookup-table", [
@@ -640,7 +645,8 @@ export async function startGatewayServer(
   });
   deps.cron = runtimeState.cronState.cron;
 
-  const runClosePrelude = async () =>
+  const runClosePrelude = async () => {
+    clearCurrentPluginMetadataSnapshot();
     await runGatewayClosePrelude({
       ...(diagnosticsEnabled ? { stopDiagnostics: stopDiagnosticHeartbeat } : {}),
       clearSkillsRefreshTimer: () => {
@@ -658,6 +664,7 @@ export async function startGatewayServer(
       clearSecretsRuntimeSnapshot,
       closeMcpServer: closeMcpLoopbackServerOnDemand,
     });
+  };
   const { getRuntimeSnapshot, startChannels, startChannel, stopChannel, markChannelLoggedOut } =
     channelManager;
   const createCloseHandler = () =>

src/plugins/current-plugin-metadata-snapshot.test.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,114 @@
+import fs from "node:fs";
+import os from "node:os";
+import path from "node:path";
+import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+import {
+  clearCurrentPluginMetadataSnapshot,
+  getCurrentPluginMetadataSnapshot,
+  setCurrentPluginMetadataSnapshot,
+} from "./current-plugin-metadata-snapshot.js";
+import { resolveInstalledPluginIndexPolicyHash } from "./installed-plugin-index-policy.js";
+import { writePersistedInstalledPluginIndexSync } from "./installed-plugin-index-store.js";
+import type { PluginMetadataSnapshot } from "./plugin-metadata-snapshot.js";
+
+function createSnapshot(
+  params: {
+    config?: Parameters<typeof resolveInstalledPluginIndexPolicyHash>[0];
+    workspaceDir?: string;
+  } = {},
+): PluginMetadataSnapshot {
+  return {
+    policyHash: resolveInstalledPluginIndexPolicyHash(params.config),
+    ...(params.workspaceDir ? { workspaceDir: params.workspaceDir } : {}),
+    index: {
+      version: 1,
+      hostContractVersion: "test",
+      compatRegistryVersion: "test",
+      migrationVersion: 1,
+      policyHash: resolveInstalledPluginIndexPolicyHash(params.config),
+      generatedAtMs: 1,
+      installRecords: {},
+      plugins: [],
+      diagnostics: [],
+    },
+    registryDiagnostics: [],
+    manifestRegistry: { plugins: [], diagnostics: [] },
+    plugins: [],
+    diagnostics: [],
+    byPluginId: new Map(),
+    normalizePluginId: (pluginId) => pluginId,
+    owners: {
+      channels: new Map(),
+      channelConfigs: new Map(),
+      providers: new Map(),
+      modelCatalogProviders: new Map(),
+      cliBackends: new Map(),
+      setupProviders: new Map(),
+      commandAliases: new Map(),
+      contracts: new Map(),
+    },
+    metrics: {
+      registrySnapshotMs: 0,
+      manifestRegistryMs: 0,
+      ownerMapsMs: 0,
+      totalMs: 0,
+      indexPluginCount: 0,
+      manifestPluginCount: 0,
+    },
+  };
+}
+
+describe("current plugin metadata snapshot", () => {
+  it("returns the current snapshot only for matching config policy and workspace", () => {
+    const config = { plugins: { allow: ["demo"] } };
+    const snapshot = createSnapshot({ config, workspaceDir: "/workspace/a" });
+    setCurrentPluginMetadataSnapshot(snapshot, { config });
+
+    expect(getCurrentPluginMetadataSnapshot({ config, workspaceDir: "/workspace/a" })).toBe(
+      snapshot,
+    );
+    expect(getCurrentPluginMetadataSnapshot({ config })).toBe(snapshot);
+    expect(
+      getCurrentPluginMetadataSnapshot({
+        config: { plugins: { allow: ["other"] } },
+        workspaceDir: "/workspace/a",
+      }),
+    ).toBeUndefined();
+    expect(
+      getCurrentPluginMetadataSnapshot({ config, workspaceDir: "/workspace/b" }),
+    ).toBeUndefined();
+  });
+
+  it("rejects a current snapshot when plugin load paths change", () => {
+    const config = { plugins: { load: { paths: ["/plugins/one"] } } };
+    const snapshot = createSnapshot({ config });
+    setCurrentPluginMetadataSnapshot(snapshot, { config });
+
+    expect(getCurrentPluginMetadataSnapshot({ config })).toBe(snapshot);
+    expect(
+      getCurrentPluginMetadataSnapshot({
+        config: { plugins: { load: { paths: ["/plugins/two"] } } },
+      }),
+    ).toBeUndefined();
+  });
+
+  it("clears the current snapshot", () => {
+    setCurrentPluginMetadataSnapshot(createSnapshot());
+    clearCurrentPluginMetadataSnapshot();
+
+    expect(getCurrentPluginMetadataSnapshot()).toBeUndefined();
+  });
+
+  it("clears the current snapshot when the persisted installed index changes", () => {
+    const tempDir = fs.mkdtempSync(path.join(os.tmpdir(), "openclaw-plugin-metadata-"));
+    try {
+      setCurrentPluginMetadataSnapshot(createSnapshot());
+
+      writePersistedInstalledPluginIndexSync(createSnapshot().index, { stateDir: tempDir });
+
+      expect(getCurrentPluginMetadataSnapshot()).toBeUndefined();
+    } finally {
+      fs.rmSync(tempDir, { recursive: true, force: true });
+    }
+  });
+});

src/plugins/current-plugin-metadata-snapshot.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,73 @@
+import type { OpenClawConfig } from "../config/types.openclaw.js";
+import { resolveInstalledPluginIndexPolicyHash } from "./installed-plugin-index-policy.js";
+import type { PluginMetadataSnapshot } from "./plugin-metadata-snapshot.js";
+
+let currentPluginMetadataSnapshot: PluginMetadataSnapshot | undefined;
+let currentPluginMetadataSnapshotConfigFingerprint: string | undefined;
+
+function normalizeLoadPaths(config: OpenClawConfig | undefined): readonly string[] {
+  const paths = config?.plugins?.load?.paths;
+  if (!Array.isArray(paths)) {
+    return [];
+  }
+  return paths.filter((entry) => typeof entry === "string");
+}
+
+export function resolvePluginMetadataSnapshotConfigFingerprint(
+  config: OpenClawConfig | undefined,
+): string {
+  return JSON.stringify({
+    policyHash: resolveInstalledPluginIndexPolicyHash(config),
+    pluginLoadPaths: normalizeLoadPaths(config),
+  });
+}
+
+// Single-slot Gateway-owned handoff. Replace or clear it at lifecycle boundaries;
+// never accumulate historical metadata snapshots here.
+export function setCurrentPluginMetadataSnapshot(
+  snapshot: PluginMetadataSnapshot | undefined,
+  options: { config?: OpenClawConfig } = {},
+): void {
+  currentPluginMetadataSnapshot = snapshot;
+  currentPluginMetadataSnapshotConfigFingerprint = snapshot
+    ? resolvePluginMetadataSnapshotConfigFingerprint(options.config)
+    : undefined;
+}
+
+export function clearCurrentPluginMetadataSnapshot(): void {
+  currentPluginMetadataSnapshot = undefined;
+  currentPluginMetadataSnapshotConfigFingerprint = undefined;
+}
+
+export function getCurrentPluginMetadataSnapshot(
+  params: {
+    config?: OpenClawConfig;
+    workspaceDir?: string;
+  } = {},
+): PluginMetadataSnapshot | undefined {
+  const snapshot = currentPluginMetadataSnapshot;
+  if (!snapshot) {
+    return undefined;
+  }
+  if (
+    params.config &&
+    snapshot.policyHash !== resolveInstalledPluginIndexPolicyHash(params.config)
+  ) {
+    return undefined;
+  }
+  if (
+    params.config &&
+    currentPluginMetadataSnapshotConfigFingerprint &&
+    currentPluginMetadataSnapshotConfigFingerprint !==
+      resolvePluginMetadataSnapshotConfigFingerprint(params.config)
+  ) {
+    return undefined;
+  }
+  if (
+    params.workspaceDir !== undefined &&
+    (snapshot.workspaceDir ?? "") !== (params.workspaceDir ?? "")
+  ) {
+    return undefined;
+  }
+  return snapshot;
+}

src/plugins/installed-plugin-index-store.ts

@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import { saveJsonFile } from "../infra/json-file.js";
 import { readJsonFile, readJsonFileSync, writeJsonAtomic } from "../infra/json-files.js";
 import { isBlockedObjectKey } from "../infra/prototype-keys.js";
 import { safeParseWithSchema } from "../utils/zod-parse.js";
+import { clearCurrentPluginMetadataSnapshot } from "./current-plugin-metadata-snapshot.js";
 import {
   resolveInstalledPluginIndexStorePath,
   type InstalledPluginIndexStoreOptions,
@@ -171,6 +172,7 @@ export async function writePersistedInstalledPluginIndex(
       mode: 0o600,
     },
   );
+  clearCurrentPluginMetadataSnapshot();
   return filePath;
 }
 
@@ -180,6 +182,7 @@ export function writePersistedInstalledPluginIndexSync(
 ): string {
   const filePath = resolveInstalledPluginIndexStorePath(options);
   saveJsonFile(filePath, { ...index, warning: INSTALLED_PLUGIN_INDEX_WARNING });
+  clearCurrentPluginMetadataSnapshot();
   return filePath;
 }