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Aegis for OpenClaw

Guide for using Aegis with OpenClaw through OpenClaw's native SKILL.md skill system.

This page only covers the OpenClaw host install path. For the current Aegis Method Pack authority order, release gate, host compatibility status, and known limitations, read:

  • docs/current/README.md
  • docs/current/AEGIS_HOST_COMPATIBILITY_MATRIX_SNAPSHOT.md
  • docs/current/AEGIS_METHOD_PACK_RELEASE_CHECKLIST.md
  • docs/current/AEGIS_KNOWN_LIMITATIONS.md

Current Verdict

OpenClaw is skills-compatible with Aegis because OpenClaw supports installing skills from Git repositories and local directories whose source root contains a SKILL.md file.

OpenClaw's documented openclaw skills install git:owner/repo[@ref] path is best suited to single-skill repositories. Aegis is a multi-skill method-pack repository whose individual skills live under skills/<skill-name>/SKILL.md, so the recommended Aegis path is:

  • keep a local Aegis checkout for workspace helper support
  • install or copy individual Aegis skill directories from skills/
  • verify visibility with openclaw skills list or openclaw skills check
  • verify complete install support with aegis-doctor.py

This guide records structural compatibility and manual install support. It does not claim current release-level live smoke evidence for OpenClaw.

Recommended Complete Installation

Keep a local Aegis checkout and install individual skill directories from it. This preserves both skill discovery and project workspace support verification.

macOS / Linux

git clone https://github.com/GanyuanRan/Aegis.git ~/.openclaw/aegis
cd ~/.openclaw/aegis

openclaw skills install ./skills/using-aegis --as using-aegis --global
openclaw skills install ./skills/systematic-debugging --as systematic-debugging --global
openclaw skills install ./skills/brainstorming --as brainstorming --global

Windows PowerShell

git clone https://github.com/GanyuanRan/Aegis.git "$env:USERPROFILE\.openclaw\aegis"
Set-Location "$env:USERPROFILE\.openclaw\aegis"

openclaw skills install .\skills\using-aegis --as using-aegis --global
openclaw skills install .\skills\systematic-debugging --as systematic-debugging --global
openclaw skills install .\skills\brainstorming --as brainstorming --global

Install additional Aegis skills the same way when you need them. For example:

openclaw skills install ./skills/writing-plans --as writing-plans --global
openclaw skills install ./skills/verification-before-completion --as verification-before-completion --global

Use --agent <id> instead of --global when you want Aegis scoped to one configured OpenClaw agent workspace.

Project-Local Installation

Inside a project where you want Aegis to be available only to that workspace:

git clone https://github.com/GanyuanRan/Aegis.git .aegis-method-pack
openclaw skills install ./.aegis-method-pack/skills/using-aegis --as using-aegis
openclaw skills install ./.aegis-method-pack/skills/systematic-debugging --as systematic-debugging
openclaw skills install ./.aegis-method-pack/skills/brainstorming --as brainstorming

Project-local installs are useful for experimenting. Keep the checkout in place if you also want Aegis workspace support, doctor checks, and future updates.

Verification

Restart OpenClaw or start a new session, then run:

openclaw skills list
openclaw skills check

Expected result:

  • OpenClaw can see Aegis skills such as using-aegis, systematic-debugging, and brainstorming.
  • OpenClaw can load the relevant skill on demand.
  • The local Aegis checkout remains available for workspace support.
  • OpenClaw does not present Aegis as a full runtime platform, authoritative GateDecision, or final completion authority.

Portable goal entry:

Aegis goal: Fix the auth refresh bug without rewriting the auth system.

Use this when you want goal-framing to set goal, success evidence, stop condition, and non-goals before routing onward.

For complete-install verification, run this from the local Aegis checkout:

cd <aegis-method-pack-root>
python scripts/aegis-doctor.py --write-config --json

Do not run the doctor command from the target project directory; it belongs to the installed Aegis method-pack root.

Treat the install as complete only if the JSON reports "ok": true, "workspaceSupport": "available", and "configStatus": "configured".

If OpenClaw exposes or you choose a separate skill discovery directory, also verify it:

cd <aegis-method-pack-root>
python scripts/aegis-doctor.py --discovery-root <openclaw-skill-discovery-root>

Updating

macOS / Linux

cd ~/.openclaw/aegis
git pull
openclaw skills install ./skills/using-aegis --as using-aegis --global --force
openclaw skills install ./skills/systematic-debugging --as systematic-debugging --global --force
openclaw skills install ./skills/brainstorming --as brainstorming --global --force
python scripts/aegis-doctor.py --write-config --json

Windows PowerShell

Set-Location "$env:USERPROFILE\.openclaw\aegis"
git pull
openclaw skills install .\skills\using-aegis --as using-aegis --global --force
openclaw skills install .\skills\systematic-debugging --as systematic-debugging --global --force
openclaw skills install .\skills\brainstorming --as brainstorming --global --force
python scripts/aegis-doctor.py --write-config --json

Restart OpenClaw or start a new session after updating.

Activation Mode

OpenClaw uses native skill discovery. It does not currently use an Aegis bootstrap hook from this repository.

That means AEGIS_ACTIVATION_MODE=explicit does not override OpenClaw's own skill matcher by itself. For explicit use, ask OpenClaw to load an Aegis skill directly or use the OpenClaw skill command surface when available.

You can still write the shared user-local Aegis config from the installed method-pack root:

cd <aegis-method-pack-root>
python scripts/aegis-doctor.py activation-mode explicit

Switch back to automatic mode with:

cd <aegis-method-pack-root>
python scripts/aegis-doctor.py activation-mode auto

Restart OpenClaw or start a new session after changing local Aegis config. For this host, the command does not override OpenClaw's native matcher.

Troubleshooting

Git repository install does not install all Aegis skills

Use the local-directory install shown above. OpenClaw's Git and local directory installer expects SKILL.md at the source root. Aegis stores many skills under skills/<skill-name>/SKILL.md, so the stable path is to install the individual skill directories.

Skills are not visible

  1. Confirm each installed skill source root contains SKILL.md.
  2. Run openclaw skills list.
  3. Run openclaw skills check.
  4. Restart OpenClaw or start a new session.
  5. Check whether a workspace skill with the same name is taking precedence.

Project workspace support not verified

If only skill directories were copied and the local checkout was removed, skill discovery may still work but complete project workspace support is not proven. Restore the checkout and run this from the method-pack root, not from the target project directory:

cd <aegis-method-pack-root>
python scripts/aegis-doctor.py --write-config --json

The JSON should include "workspaceSupport": "available" and "configStatus": "configured".

Official OpenClaw References