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Source-grounded rewrite of 529 published docs pages with per-unit information-loss verification: 1,713 factual corrections cited to src/**, generated surfaces regenerated, frontmatter titles preserved for i18n, release notes pages untouched. All docs gates green. Closes #100141
66 lines
2.4 KiB
Markdown
66 lines
2.4 KiB
Markdown
---
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summary: "Agent bootstrapping ritual that seeds the workspace and identity files"
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read_when:
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- Understanding what happens on the first agent run
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- Explaining where bootstrapping files live
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- Debugging onboarding identity setup
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title: "Agent bootstrapping"
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sidebarTitle: "Bootstrapping"
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---
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Bootstrapping is the first-run ritual that seeds a new agent workspace and
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walks the agent through picking an identity. It runs once, right after
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onboarding, on the agent's first real turn.
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## What happens
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On the first run against a brand-new workspace (default `~/.openclaw/workspace`),
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OpenClaw:
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- Seeds `AGENTS.md`, `SOUL.md`, `TOOLS.md`, `IDENTITY.md`, `USER.md`, `HEARTBEAT.md`, and `BOOTSTRAP.md`.
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- Has the agent follow `BOOTSTRAP.md`: a free-form conversation (not a fixed Q&A form) to settle on a name, personality, and vibe.
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- Writes what it learns into `IDENTITY.md`, `USER.md`, and `SOUL.md`.
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- Deletes `BOOTSTRAP.md` once the workspace looks configured, so the ritual only runs once.
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A workspace counts as configured once `SOUL.md`, `IDENTITY.md`, or `USER.md` has
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diverged from its starter template, or a `memory/` folder exists.
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<Note>
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`BOOTSTRAP.md` covers the full identity conversation. See its contents at
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[BOOTSTRAP.md template](/reference/templates/BOOTSTRAP).
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</Note>
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## Embedded and local model runs
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For embedded or local-model runs, OpenClaw keeps `BOOTSTRAP.md` out of the
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privileged system context. On the primary interactive first run it still
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passes the file contents through the user prompt, so models that don't
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reliably call the `read` tool can still complete the ritual. If the current
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run cannot safely access the workspace, the agent gets a short limited-bootstrap
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note instead of a generic greeting.
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## Skipping bootstrapping
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To skip this on a pre-seeded workspace, run:
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```bash
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openclaw onboard --skip-bootstrap
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```
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## Where it runs
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Bootstrapping always runs on the gateway host. If the macOS app connects to a
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remote Gateway, the workspace and its bootstrap files live on that remote
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machine, not on the Mac.
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<Note>
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When the Gateway runs on another machine, edit workspace files on the gateway
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host (for example, `user@gateway-host:~/.openclaw/workspace`).
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</Note>
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## Related docs
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- macOS app onboarding: [Onboarding](/start/onboarding)
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- Workspace layout: [Agent workspace](/concepts/agent-workspace)
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- Template contents: [BOOTSTRAP.md template](/reference/templates/BOOTSTRAP)
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