# OpenClaw
**ID:** `openclaw`
**Status:** registered. Native OpenClaw plugin and hook-pack installation is
deferred because upstream documents it as `openclaw plugins install` lifecycle
work, not a stable file-backed hook contract.
## Prompt
OpenClaw project instructions use the workspace `AGENTS.md` file.
| Local | `<root>/AGENTS.md` |
`agent-config` inserts a fenced markdown block keyed by the consumer tag. Global
prompt install is unsupported.
## Instructions
Standalone instruction files installed via `InstructionSurface`. Uses
`InstructionPlacement::InlineBlock` (project-local only) because OpenClaw's
memory file does not expose a documented `@import` syntax; the body is
injected as a tagged HTML-comment fenced block in the existing memory file.
| Host file | `<root>/AGENTS.md` |
| Mechanism | Tagged HTML-comment fence (`<!-- BEGIN AGENT-CONFIG-INSTR:<name> -->`) |
| Ledger | `<root>/.agents/.agent-config-instructions.json` (reuses the existing `.agents/` skills directory) |
| Placement | `InstructionPlacement::InlineBlock` |
## MCP
OpenClaw stores outbound MCP server definitions in its JSON5 config under
`mcp.servers`.
| Global | `~/.openclaw/openclaw.json` | `mcp.servers.<name>` |
MCP is global-only in this crate. Local MCP install returns
`AgentConfigError::UnsupportedScope`.
Transport mapping:
- `Stdio`: `command`, `args`, optional `env`
- `Http`: `url`, optional `headers`, `transport: "streamable-http"`
- `Sse`: `url`, optional `headers`, `transport: "sse"`
OpenClaw also has `openclaw mcp set/unset`; this crate writes the documented
config shape directly and records ownership in `.agent-config-mcp.json` beside
the config.
## Skills
OpenClaw loads AgentSkills-compatible skill folders from several roots. The
crate writes these roots:
| Global | `~/.openclaw/skills/<name>/` |
| Local | `<root>/.agents/skills/<name>/` |
Each skill directory contains `SKILL.md` plus optional caller-supplied
`scripts/`, `references/`, and `assets/`.
## Deferred Hooks And Plugins
OpenClaw native plugins require `openclaw.plugin.json`, `package.json`, and a
runtime entrypoint, and are normally installed with `openclaw plugins install`.
Hook packs participate in that plugin install surface. `agent-config` does not
shell out to the OpenClaw CLI in this pass.
## References
- <https://docs.openclaw.ai/tools/plugin>
- <https://docs.openclaw.ai/plugins/manifest>
- <https://docs.openclaw.ai/cli/mcp>
- <https://docs.openclaw.ai/tools/skills>
- <https://docs.openclaw.ai/tools/creating-skills>
- <https://docs.openclaw.ai/reference/templates/AGENTS>
Accessed: 2026-04-25.