Files
openclaw/docs/agent-runtime-architecture.md
Peter Steinberger 07101b191e refactor: remove pi runtime internals
Rename remaining Pi-shaped agent surfaces to OpenClaw agent runtime names, delete obsolete Pi docs and package graph checks, and add the third-party notice for incorporated code.
2026-05-27 10:40:38 +01:00

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Markdown

---
title: "Agent runtime architecture"
summary: "How OpenClaw runs the built-in agent runtime, providers, sessions, tools, and extensions."
---
OpenClaw owns the built-in agent runtime directly. The runtime code lives under `src/agents/`, model/provider helpers live under `src/llm/`, and plugin-facing contracts are exposed through `openclaw/plugin-sdk/*` barrels.
## Runtime Layout
- `src/agents/embedded-agent-runner/`: built-in agent attempt loop, provider stream adapters, compaction, model selection, and session wiring.
- `src/agents/sessions/`: session persistence, extension loading, resource discovery, skills, prompts, themes, and TUI-backed tool renderers.
- `packages/agent-core/`: reusable agent core, lower-level harness types, messages, compaction helpers, prompt templates, and tool/session contracts.
- `src/agents/runtime/`: OpenClaw facade for `@openclaw/agent-core` plus local proxy utilities.
- `src/agents/agent-tools*.ts`: OpenClaw-owned tool definitions, schemas, policy, before/after hook adapters, and host edit support.
- `src/agents/agent-hooks/`: built-in runtime hooks such as compaction safeguards and context pruning.
- `src/llm/`: model/provider registry, transport helpers, and provider-specific stream implementations.
## Boundaries
Core code calls the built-in runtime through OpenClaw modules and SDK barrels, not through old external agent packages. Plugins use documented `openclaw/plugin-sdk/*` entrypoints and do not import `src/**` internals.
`@earendil-works/pi-tui` remains a third-party TUI dependency. It is used as a terminal component toolkit by the local TUI and session renderers; internalizing it would be a separate vendoring effort.
## Manifests
Resource packages declare OpenClaw resources in package metadata:
```json
{
"openclaw": {
"extensions": ["extensions/index.ts"],
"skills": ["skills/*.md"],
"prompts": ["prompts/*.md"],
"themes": ["themes/*.json"]
}
}
```
The package manager also discovers conventional `extensions/`, `skills/`, `prompts/`, and `themes/` directories.
## Runtime Selection
The default built-in runtime id is `openclaw`. Plugin harnesses can register additional runtime ids. `auto` selects a supporting plugin harness when one exists and otherwise uses the built-in OpenClaw runtime.
## Related
- [OpenClaw agent runtime workflow](/openclaw-agent-runtime)
- [Agent runtimes](/concepts/agent-runtimes)