Fundamentals

Agent workspace

The workspace is the agent's home. It is the only working directory used for file tools and for workspace context. Keep it private and treat it as memory.

This is separate from ~/.openclaw/, which stores config, credentials, and sessions.

Default location

Default: ~/.openclaw/workspace
If OPENCLAW_PROFILE is set and not "default", the default becomes ~/.openclaw/workspace-<profile>.
Override in ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json:

{
  agents: {
    defaults: {
      workspace: "~/.openclaw/workspace",
    },
  },
}

openclaw onboard, openclaw configure, or openclaw setup will create the workspace and seed the bootstrap files if they are missing.

If you already manage the workspace files yourself, you can disable bootstrap file creation:

{ agents: { defaults: { skipBootstrap: true } } }

Extra workspace folders

Older installs may have created ~/openclaw. Keeping multiple workspace directories around can cause confusing auth or state drift, because only one workspace is active at a time.

Workspace file map

These are the standard files OpenClaw expects inside the workspace:

AGENTS.md - operating instructions

Operating instructions for the agent and how it should use memory. Loaded at the start of every session. Good place for rules, priorities, and "how to behave" details.

SOUL.md - persona and tone

Persona, tone, and boundaries. Loaded every session. Guide: SOUL.md personality guide.

USER.md - who the user is

Who the user is and how to address them. Loaded every session.

IDENTITY.md - name, vibe, emoji

The agent's name, vibe, and emoji. Created/updated during the bootstrap ritual.

TOOLS.md - local tool conventions

Notes about your local tools and conventions. Does not control tool availability; it is only guidance.

HEARTBEAT.md - heartbeat checklist

Optional tiny checklist for heartbeat runs. Keep it short to avoid token burn.

BOOT.md - startup checklist

Optional startup checklist run automatically on gateway restart (when internal hooks are enabled). Keep it short; use the message tool for outbound sends.

BOOTSTRAP.md - first-run ritual

One-time first-run ritual. Only created for a brand-new workspace. Delete it after the ritual is complete.

memory/YYYY-MM-DD.md - daily memory log

Daily memory log (one file per day). Recommended to read today + yesterday on session start.

MEMORY.md - curated long-term memory (optional)

Curated long-term memory. Only load in the main, private session (not shared/group contexts). See Memory for the workflow and automatic memory flush.

skills/ - workspace skills (optional)

Workspace-specific skills. Highest-precedence skill location for that workspace. Overrides project agent skills, personal agent skills, managed skills, bundled skills, and skills.load.extraDirs when names collide.

canvas/ - Canvas UI files (optional)

Canvas UI files for node displays (for example canvas/index.html).

What is NOT in the workspace

These live under ~/.openclaw/ and should NOT be committed to the workspace repo:

~/.openclaw/openclaw.json (config)
~/.openclaw/agents/<agentId>/agent/auth-profiles.json (model auth profiles: OAuth + API keys)
~/.openclaw/agents/<agentId>/agent/codex-home/ (per-agent Codex runtime account, config, skills, plugins, and native thread state)
~/.openclaw/credentials/ (channel/provider state plus legacy OAuth import data)
~/.openclaw/agents/<agentId>/sessions/ (session transcripts + metadata)
~/.openclaw/skills/ (managed skills)

If you need to migrate sessions or config, copy them separately and keep them out of version control.

Git backup (recommended, private)

Treat the workspace as private memory. Put it in a private git repo so it is backed up and recoverable.

Run these steps on the machine where the Gateway runs (that is where the workspace lives).

Initialize the repo

If git is installed, brand-new workspaces are initialized automatically. If this workspace is not already a repo, run:

cd ~/.openclaw/workspace
git init
git add AGENTS.md SOUL.md TOOLS.md IDENTITY.md USER.md HEARTBEAT.md memory/
git commit -m "Add agent workspace"

Add a private remote

GitHub web UI

Create a new private repository on GitHub.
Do not initialize with a README (avoids merge conflicts).
Copy the HTTPS remote URL.
Add the remote and push:

git branch -M main
git remote add origin <https-url>
git push -u origin main

GitHub CLI (gh)

gh auth login
gh repo create openclaw-workspace --private --source . --remote origin --push

GitLab web UI

Create a new private repository on GitLab.
Do not initialize with a README (avoids merge conflicts).
Copy the HTTPS remote URL.
Add the remote and push:

git branch -M main
git remote add origin <https-url>
git push -u origin main

Ongoing updates

git status
git add .
git commit -m "Update memory"
git push

Do not commit secrets

Suggested .gitignore starter:

.DS_Store
.env
**/*.key
**/*.pem
**/secrets*

Moving the workspace to a new machine

Clone the repo

Clone the repo to the desired path (default ~/.openclaw/workspace).

Update config

Set agents.defaults.workspace to that path in ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json.

Seed missing files

Run openclaw setup --workspace <path> to seed any missing files.

Copy sessions (optional)

If you need sessions, copy ~/.openclaw/agents/<agentId>/sessions/ from the old machine separately.

Advanced notes

Multi-agent routing can use different workspaces per agent. See Channel routing for routing configuration.
If agents.defaults.sandbox is enabled, non-main sessions can use per-session sandbox workspaces under agents.defaults.sandbox.workspaceRoot.

Heartbeat - HEARTBEAT.md workspace file
Sandboxing - workspace access in sandboxed environments
Session - session storage paths
Standing orders - persistent instructions in workspace files

# Default location

# Extra workspace folders

# Workspace file map

# What is NOT in the workspace

# Git backup (recommended, private)