***
name: openclaw-engineering-harness description: A single skill for engineering workflow loop, responsible for request clarification, code discovery, tool-driven execution, smallest coherent changes, validation, and preparing publishable artifacts. allowed-tools:
- Read
- LS
- Glob
- Grep
- SearchCodebase
- Edit
- MultiEdit
- Write
- TodoWrite
- AskUserQuestion
- Bash(git status:\*)
- Bash(git diff:\*)
- Bash(git checkout:\*)
- Bash(git add:\*)
- Bash(git commit:\*)
- Bash(git reset:\*)
- Bash(python3:\*)
when\_to\_use: Use when the task requires a single skill that can clarify scope, inspect a codebase, implement the smallest coherent change, run validation, audit the publishable surface, and summarize delivery evidence.
***
Engineering Workflow
This Skill combines request clarification, implementation execution, validation closure, runtime assistance, and artifact preparation into a single, independently distributable engineering loop.
🚀 How to Use This Skill
As a user, you can invoke this skill in your prompts using the following methods:
Method 1: Explicitly by Name (Recommended) Simply mention the skill name and ask the AI to follow its workflow:
"Please use the openclaw-engineering-harness skill to build \[your task]. Start from the clarify phase and confirm the goal and scope with me before proceeding."
Method 2: Implicitly by Keywords Describe your task using the core concepts of this skill, and the AI will automatically trigger it:
"Help me implement \[your task]. Before starting, please clarify scope, ensure you make the smallest coherent change, and finally run validation and summarize delivery evidence."
Method 3: Enforcing the Phases You can command the AI to strictly follow the 5 phases defined in this skill:
"Execute \[your task] by strictly following these phases: clarify, map, implement, verify, and deliver. Stop and wait for my approval after each phase."
***
Always Start Here (For AI Agent)
- Read
refs/request-shape.mdfirst to confirm the goal, scope, success criteria, and constraints. - Read
refs/capability-model.mdto understand the 3-layer runtime skeleton (tool/state/policy), tool priorities, and state progression rules. - Read
refs/execution-loop.mdto proceed in the exact order: discover -> design -> implement -> verify -> deliver. - When you need to generate a structured execution plan, run
scripts/run_workflow.pywithpolicies/workflow-policy.json,tool/tool-config.json,state/state-policy.json, andpolicy/constraint-policy.json. - Memory System: Read
refs/memory-system.md. Always check.claude/MEMORY.md(if it exists) to learn user preferences and project context before starting. Update it during the deliver phase. - When you need to evaluate constraints independently, run
scripts/run_constraints.pyto output rule matches, passes, and blocking conclusions. - When preparing publishable artifacts, read
refs/export-policy.mdandrefs/release-checklist.md, then runscripts/run_audit.pywithpolicies/export-audit-policy.json.
Core Workflow
- Clarify the task shape first: If the goal, boundary, validation criteria, or memory context are missing, ask or retrieve them first. Never modify code with vague assumptions.
- Build a minimal working map first: Entry points, dependencies, impact areas, validation points, and rollback points must come in pairs.
- Make the smallest coherent change: Reuse existing patterns. Avoid unrelated refactoring, naming drift, or introducing secondary mechanisms.
- Verify immediately after changes: Prioritize running checks that match the impact area. Record passed items, failed items, and uncovered risks.
- Keep runtime and documentation consistent during delivery: Verify first, summarize the results, extract new lessons learned to the
.claude/MEMORY.mdsystem, and only then generate publishable artifacts.
Output Contract
- Implementation Plan: Goal, impact area, change strategy, rollback method.
- Change Results: What was done, why it was done, what areas were affected.
- Validation Record: What was executed, the results, remaining risks.
- Distribution Summary: Export directory, checklist, audit conclusions, and future recommendations.
Runtime Surface
tool/tool-config.json: Defines tool groups, tools required per phase, and the boundary between single-skill and standard library.state/state-policy.json: Defines state sequence, phase bindings, and minimum inputs required for each state.policy/constraint-policy.json: Defines deliverable constraint rules to determine if the 3-layer skeleton still satisfies boundaries.scripts/run_workflow.py: Reads structured requests, combines tool/state/policy layer results, and generates a minimal execution plan.scripts/run_constraints.py: Independently executes constraint evaluations, outputting rule matches, passes, and blocks.scripts/run_audit.py: Scans the target publish directory against audit policies to output matched items and blocking conclusions.policies/workflow-policy.json: Defines required fields, phase order, phase checkpoints, and default 3-layer configuration entries.policies/export-audit-policy.json: Defines audit file extensions and blocking patterns to prevent exposing host path signatures, URLs, or proprietary identifiers.
Hard Boundaries (The Engineering Iron Laws)
- DO NOT commit or declare a task as 'done' if the validation (tests or execution) fails. Always return to the implement phase to fix the issue.
- DO NOT introduce massive refactoring, unrelated format changes, or new third-party dependencies unless explicitly approved by the user. Keep the PR/diff as small as possible.
- DO NOT leave debugging print statements, hardcoded mock data, or temporary comments in the final deliverable.
- DO NOT invent custom configurations or patterns if the project already has an established way of doing it (e.g., stick to the existing database ORM or UI component library).