openclaw/openclaw
Write a short reference note in life-automation documenting openclaw's local-first context persistence and sync patterns as design input for a future companion API build.
Operator approved despite the assessor's 'defer' recommendation, confirming the Research spike option - plan produces a durable markdown notes file to log findings now while current context is fresh, for use when companion API work is actually scheduled.
Fetch https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw and read the README, any docs/ or documentation files, and CONTRIBUTING or ARCHITECTURE files if present. Skim the top open issues (sort by most-commented) for recurring themes around local storage, sync, or multi-device access. Focus on: (a) how personal context is stored locally - file format, location, schema; (b) how sync or merge across devices is handled or explicitly deferred; (c) any API, plugin, or extension points the app exposes. Note any sections that are missing or underdocumented - do not infer or guess.
notes/openclaw-local-context-patterns.mdCreate the notes/ directory if it does not exist, then write a markdown file with five sections: (1) one-line header note: 'Research spike from GitHub trending pipeline - 2026-07-27. For reference when companion API work is scheduled.'; (2) 'Storage approach' - how openclaw persists context locally, including file format and schema if discoverable; (3) 'Sync / multi-device' - how it handles or avoids the cross-device sync problem, or note if this is unresolved/undocumented; (4) 'API surface' - any documented API, plugin, or extension points the app exposes; (5) 'Design implications for companion API' - 3 to 5 bullet points mapping findings to concrete decisions a life-automation companion API would face (e.g., SQLite vs flat-file for local context, merge strategy for multi-device access, whether to expose an extension API from day one). Keep the total file under 400 words.
notes/openclaw-local-context-patterns.mdnotes/openclaw-local-context-patterns.md exists in the life-automation repo and is committed to a PR branch
The file covers storage format, sync approach, and at least 3 companion API design implications
The file is under 400 words and is self-contained enough to be useful as a future reference without re-reading the openclaw repository
openclaw's public README may be thin on architecture detail given its personality-forward topic tags - note documentation gaps explicitly rather than guessing at patterns
life-automation may not have a notes/ directory yet - create it as part of this task
Interesting architecture pattern for future companion API work. Worth logging for reference when that roadmap item becomes active.