- name
- gitclaw
- description
- Back up the OpenClaw agent workspace to a GitHub repo and keep it synced via a cron-driven commit/push script.
- homepage
- https://gitclaw.ai
- metadata
- { "openclaw": { "emoji": "🐙", "homepage": "https://gitclaw.ai" } }
GitClaw: Agent self-backup to GitHub
When to use
Use this skill automatically when it's installed or reference, and also when the user asks to:
- back up / sync / mirror the OpenClaw workspace
- set up periodic commits and pushes
- install/configure GitHub backup automation for the agent
Behavioral rule (important)
- Do everything automatically and quietly.
- Only message the user when:
- you need inputs (repo name, visibility, optional frequency), or - Git/GH/Cron install fails, or - GitHub auth requires the user to complete the browser/device step, or - Git operations fail (conflicts, permissions, etc).
Inputs to ask the user for
Ask the user for:
- Repository name (e.g.,
openclaw-backup) - Visibility:
publicorprivate - (Optional) Backup frequency in minutes (default: 60)
Do NOT ask for a Personal Access Token. We use gh auth.
Step 1: Ensure prerequisites (auto-install)
1A) Ensure git is installed (auto-install; do not stop)
Check:
git --version
If missing, install using the best available method:
- If
brewexists:
- brew install git
- Else if
apt-getexists:
- sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install -y git
- Else if
dnfexists:
- sudo dnf install -y git
- Else if
yumexists:
- sudo yum install -y git
- Else if
pacmanexists:
- sudo pacman -S --noconfirm git
- Else if
zypperexists:
- sudo zypper install -y git
- Else if
apkexists:
- sudo apk add git
- Else if macOS and
xcode-selectexists:
- xcode-select --install (this may prompt the user)
- Else:
- Tell the user you couldn’t auto-install git on this OS and show the failing detection output.
Re-check:
git --version
Only notify the user if install failed.
1B) Ensure cron/crontab is available (best-effort auto-install)
Check:
command -v crontab
If missing, attempt install:
- If
apt-getexists:
- sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install -y cron - sudo systemctl enable --now cron || sudo service cron start || true
- Else if
dnfexists:
- sudo dnf install -y cronie - sudo systemctl enable --now crond || true
- Else if
yumexists:
- sudo yum install -y cronie - sudo systemctl enable --now crond || true
- Else if
pacmanexists:
- sudo pacman -S --noconfirm cronie - sudo systemctl enable --now cronie || true
- Else if
apkexists:
- sudo apk add dcron - sudo rc-update add dcron default || true - sudo rc-service dcron start || true
- Else:
- If you can’t install, tell the user cron is required for scheduling.
Re-check:
command -v crontab
Step 2: Ensure GitHub CLI (gh) is installed (auto-install)
Check:
gh --version
If missing, install:
- If
brewexists:
- brew install gh
- Else if
apt-getexists (official GitHub CLI packages; preferred):
- Install using the official apt repo steps: - (type -p wget >/dev/null || (sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install -y wget)) - sudo mkdir -p -m 755 /etc/apt/keyrings - out=$(mktemp) && wget -nv -O"$out" https://cli.github.com/packages/githubcli-archive-keyring.gpg - cat "$out" | sudo tee /etc/apt/keyrings/githubcli-archive-keyring.gpg > /dev/null - sudo chmod go+r /etc/apt/keyrings/githubcli-archive-keyring.gpg - sudo mkdir -p -m 755 /etc/apt/sources.list.d - echo "deb [arch=$(dpkg --print-architecture) signed-by=/etc/apt/keyrings/githubcli-archive-keyring.gpg] https://cli.github.com/packages stable main" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/github-cli.list > /dev/null - sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install -y gh
- Else if
dnfexists:
- sudo dnf install -y 'dnf-command(config-manager)' || sudo dnf install -y dnf5-plugins || true - sudo dnf config-manager --add-repo https://cli.github.com/packages/rpm/gh-cli.repo || sudo dnf config-manager addrepo --from-repofile=https://cli.github.com/packages/rpm/gh-cli.repo || true - sudo dnf install -y gh --repo gh-cli || sudo dnf install -y gh || true
- Else if
yumexists:
- type -p yum-config-manager >/dev/null || sudo yum install -y yum-utils - sudo yum-config-manager --add-repo https://cli.github.com/packages/rpm/gh-cli.repo - sudo yum install -y gh
- Else if
zypperexists:
- sudo zypper addrepo https://cli.github.com/packages/rpm/gh-cli.repo || true - sudo zypper ref - sudo zypper install -y gh
- Else if
pacmanexists:
- sudo pacman -S --noconfirm github-cli
- Else if
apkexists:
- sudo apk add github-cli
- Else:
- Tell the user you can’t auto-install gh on this OS.
Re-check:
gh --version
Only notify the user if install failed.
Step 3: Ensure the user is authenticated in gh (agent runs the flow)
Check:
gh auth status --hostname github.com
If NOT authenticated:
- Run:
- gh auth login --hostname github.com --git-protocol https
- The terminal flow will show a one-time code and ask the user to authorize.
- Tell the user to open https://github.com/login/device in their browser and enter the code shown in the terminal, then authorize.
- After login:
- gh auth setup-git
- Verify again:
- gh auth status --hostname github.com
If auth fails, stop and report the exact terminal output.
Step 4: Initialize git in the OpenClaw workspace and connect/create the repo
Workspace dir (where you store SOUL.md, AGENTS.md, etc.):
- Example (path might be different on your environment):
WORKSPACE_DIR="$HOME/.openclaw/workspace"
- Ensure the workspace exists:
- mkdir -p "$WORKSPACE_DIR" - cd "$WORKSPACE_DIR"
- Initialize repo if needed:
- If .git does not exist: git init - git branch -M main
- Configure a deterministic commit identity (local-only):
- git config user.name "gitclaw.ai" - git config user.email "gitclaw-bot@users.noreply.github.com"
- Determine the authenticated GitHub username (owner):
- OWNER="$(gh api user --jq .login)" - (Do not print unless debugging is needed)
- Repo name and visibility:
- REPO="<repo name from user>" - Visibility: - public => --public - private => --private
- Ensure there is at least one commit (required for first push/cron):
- Create a tiny marker file if needed: - test -f .gitclaw.keep || printf "gitclaw initialized: %s\ " "$(date -u '+%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%SZ')" > .gitclaw.keep - git add -A - git commit -m "gitclaw: initial backup" || true
- Create or reuse the target repo:
- If it exists: - gh repo view "$OWNER/$REPO" >/dev/null 2>&1 - Set remote: - REMOTE_URL="https://github.com/$OWNER/$REPO.git" - If origin exists: git remote set-url origin "$REMOTE_URL" - Else: git remote add origin "$REMOTE_URL" - Try to fast-forward sync (avoid overwriting remote history): - git fetch origin main || true - git merge --ff-only origin/main || true - If it does NOT exist: - Create it non-interactively and connect it: - Public: - gh repo create "$REPO" --public --confirm - Private: - gh repo create "$REPO" --private --confirm - Set remote: - REMOTE_URL="https://github.com/$OWNER/$REPO.git" - git remote add origin "$REMOTE_URL" || git remote set-url origin "$REMOTE_URL"
- Initial push:
- git push -u origin main
If push fails due to conflicts or non-fast-forward:
- Do NOT force-push automatically.
- Report the exact error and stop (user decision required).
Step 5: Install deterministic backup script (NO AI / NO heartbeat)
Create a folder outside the workspace:
mkdir -p "$HOME/.openclaw/gitclaw"
Create this script EXACTLY:
Path:
$HOME/.openclaw/gitclaw/auto_backup.sh
Contents:
#!/usr/bin/env bash
set -euo pipefail
# GitClaw deterministic backup (no AI)
export PATH="/usr/local/bin:/opt/homebrew/bin:/usr/bin:/bin:$PATH"
WORKSPACE_DIR="${HOME}/.openclaw/workspace"
STATE_DIR="${HOME}/.openclaw/gitclaw"
LOG_FILE="${STATE_DIR}/backup.log"
LOCK_DIR="${STATE_DIR}/lock"
mkdir -p "${STATE_DIR}"
timestamp() { date -u '+%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%SZ'; }
# Simple lock to prevent overlapping runs
if ! mkdir "${LOCK_DIR}" 2>/dev/null; then
echo "$(timestamp) Skip: already running." >> "${LOG_FILE}"
exit 0
fi
trap 'rmdir "${LOCK_DIR}" >/dev/null 2>&1 || true' EXIT
if ! command -v git >/dev/null 2>&1; then
echo "$(timestamp) ERROR: git not found on PATH. Install git first." >> "${LOG_FILE}"
exit 2
fi
if [ ! -d "${WORKSPACE_DIR}/.git" ]; then
echo "$(timestamp) ERROR: ${WORKSPACE_DIR} is not a git repo. Run GitClaw setup first." >> "${LOG_FILE}"
exit 3
fi
cd "${WORKSPACE_DIR}"
# Stage everything
git add -A
# If nothing staged, exit quietly
if git diff --cached --quiet; then
echo "$(timestamp) No changes." >> "${LOG_FILE}"
exit 0
fi
# Commit + push
git commit -m "gitclaw backup: $(timestamp)" >> "${LOG_FILE}" 2>&1
git push origin main >> "${LOG_FILE}" 2>&1
echo "$(timestamp) Backup OK." >> "${LOG_FILE}"Write the script to:
$HOME/.openclaw/gitclaw/auto_backup.sh
Then:
chmod +x "$HOME/.openclaw/gitclaw/auto_backup.sh"
Step 6: Configure crontab (idempotent)
Default schedule: hourly (0 * * * *). If user provided a different frequency, convert it to a cron expression.
- Define:
CRON_CMD="$HOME/.openclaw/gitclaw/auto_backup.sh"CRON_LINE="0 * * * * $CRON_CMD"
- Install without duplicates:
crontab -l 2>/dev/null | grep -F "$CRON_CMD" >/dev/null- If not found, append:
- (crontab -l 2>/dev/null; echo "$CRON_LINE") | crontab -
- Confirm:
crontab -l | grep -F "$CRON_CMD"
Step 7: Final validation
- Run once:
$HOME/.openclaw/gitclaw/auto_backup.sh
- Show the log:
tail -n 50 "$HOME/.openclaw/gitclaw/backup.log" || true
- Tell the user:
- Repo:
https://github.com/$OWNER/$REPO - Schedule: hourly (or the chosen cadence)
- Script path:
~/.openclaw/gitclaw/auto_backup.sh