Your AI assistant is only as good as its configuration. Here’s every critical MD file that makes OpenClaw actually useful.

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What Are OpenClaw Key MD Files?

OpenClaw isn’t just an AI chatbot. It’s an intelligent agent system that runs on structured configuration files. These MD (Markdown) files aren’t documentation—they’re live instructions that shape how your AI behaves, what it remembers, and when it acts.

If you’ve configured OpenClaw but aren’t seeing the results you expected, the problem is almost certainly in one of these configuration files.

This guide covers every critical MD file, what it does, and how to configure it properly.

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The 6 Core OpenClaw Configuration Files

| File | Purpose | Priority |
|——|———|———-|
| SOUL.md | Personality & Behavior | Critical |
| AGENTS.md | Team Structure & Workflow | Critical |
| IDENTITY.md | Who You Are to the World | High |
| MEMORY.md | Long-Term Memory | High |
| HEARTBEAT.md | Scheduled Tasks | High |
| USER.md | User Preferences & Context | Medium |

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1. SOUL.md — Your AI’s Personality

Location: `~/.openclaw/workspace/[agent-name]/SOUL.md`

This is the most important file. It defines how your AI talks, thinks, and responds.

What a Good SOUL.md Includes

“`markdown

Who You Are

[One paragraph: name, role, personality]

Core Principles

[3-5 rules that govern all behavior]

Tone & Style

[Formal/casual? Technical/simple?]

What You Do

[Primary responsibilities]

What You Don’t Do

[Explicit boundaries]
“`

Real Example (The “字清波” Configuration)

“`markdown

你是谁

我是字清波，AI英文博客运营官。核心目标是搞钱，通过英文内容出海实现变现。

核心原则

质量 > 数量！每篇文章必须有明确变现路径！

定位

全球英文站 – 国内热门话题 → 英文出海 → 发布到 yyyl.me
“`

Key SOUL.md Principles

1. Be specific, not generic — “Friendly AI assistant” is useless. “AI that writes viral LinkedIn posts in a confident, data-driven tone” is actionable.

2. Define boundaries explicitly — What won’t you do? This prevents scope creep.

3. Include the “why” — Not just what the AI should do, but why it matters.

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2. AGENTS.md — Team Structure

Location: `~/.openclaw/workspace/[agent-name]/AGENTS.md`

Defines the team hierarchy and who does what. Essential if you’re running multi-agent workflows.

Structure Example

“`markdown

Team Lead

[Name/Role] – Coordinates all work

Team Members

| Role | Responsibilities |
|——|——————|
| [Role 1] | [Task 1], [Task 2] |
| [Role 2] | [Task 3], [Task 4] |

Workflow

1. [Step 1]
2. [Step 2]
3. [Step 3]
“`

Why AGENTS.md Matters

Without it, your AI doesn’t know:

• Who assigns tasks

• Who has what expertise

• What order things should happen

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3. IDENTITY.md — Public-Facing Profile

Location: `~/.openclaw/workspace/[agent-name]/IDENTITY.md`

This is how your AI introduces itself. It’s used when the AI needs to explain its identity to others.

“`markdown

• Name: [Your AI’s name]

• Role: [What it does]

• Emoji: [Quick identifier]

• Avatar: [Optional image]

• Vibe: [1-2 words on personality]

Contact/Access

• [Public URL if applicable]

• [Platform if applicable]

“`

Example

“`markdown

• Name: 字清波

• Creature: AI 英文博客运营官

• Vibe: 专业、干练、务实

• Emoji: 📝

定位

• 运营英文博客：https://yyyl.me

• 内容策略：国内热门话题 → 英文出海

• 目标：搞钱！💰

“`

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4. MEMORY.md — Long-Term Memory

Location: `~/.openclaw/workspace/[agent-name]/MEMORY.md`

This file stores persistent information your AI should remember across sessions. Unlike conversation history, MEMORY.md survives restarts.

What to Store in MEMORY.md

“`markdown

User Information

• Name, timezone, preferences

• Past decisions and why

• Important dates and deadlines

Project Status

• Current phase/iteration

• What’s been tried and failed

• What’s working

Knowledge Base

• Industry-specific facts

• Brand guidelines

• Coding standards (if applicable)

“`

Critical Memory Categories

| Category | What to Store |
|———-|—————|
| User Info | Name, timezone, how they like to be addressed |
| Preferences | Tone, format, communication style |
| Project Context | Current status, goals, blockers |
| Historical Decisions | Why certain choices were made |
| Important Dates | Deadlines, recurring events |

Update Memory Regularly

Make it a habit:

• Add new decisions and context weekly

• Remove outdated information monthly

• Review before major project phases

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5. HEARTBEAT.md — Scheduled Automation

Location: `~/.openclaw/workspace/[agent-name]/HEARTBEAT.md`

This is OpenClaw’s heartbeat mechanism. When configured, OpenClaw automatically executes tasks at set intervals.

Basic Format

“`markdown

Task Name

[What to check or do]

Another Task

[Another automated action]
“`

Real Example

“`markdown

晨间检查

1. 搜索国内AI/赚钱热门趋势
2. 创作英文文章
3. 发布到博客

晚间总结

1. 分析当日数据
2. 提交工作报告
“`

Heartbeat Rules

• Empty file or comments only → Returns HEARTBEAT_OK (silent)

• Has actual content → Executes tasks and reports

• Task fails → Returns error, notifies user

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6. USER.md — User Preferences

Location: `~/.openclaw/workspace/[agent-name]/USER.md`

Stores information about the human user(s) the AI works with.

“`markdown

• Name: [User’s name]

• What to call them: [Preferred name]

• Timezone: [For scheduling]

Project Configuration

[Blog, business, or other project details]

Preferences

• Communication style

• Notification preferences

• Working hours

“`

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How These Files Work Together

“`
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ HEARTBEAT.md │
│ (Scheduled Automation) │
└─────────────────────┬───────────────────────────────┘
│
▼
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ AGENTS.md │
│ (Team Coordination) │
└─────────────────────┬───────────────────────────────┘
│
▼
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ SOUL.md │
│ (Personality & Core Principles) │
└─────────────────────┬───────────────────────────────┘
│
▼
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ IDENTITY.md + USER.md │
│ (Who + Preferences Context) │
└─────────────────────┬───────────────────────────────┘
│
▼
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ MEMORY.md │
│ (Long-Term Memory Store) │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
“`

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Common Configuration Mistakes

Mistake 1: Generic SOUL.md

Bad: “I am a helpful AI assistant.”
Good: “I am a technical writer specializing in B2B SaaS. I write in a confident, data-driven tone with short paragraphs.”

Mistake 2: No MEMORY.md Updates

Your AI forgets everything between sessions. Update MEMORY.md weekly or important context is lost.

Mistake 3: Conflicting Files

If SOUL.md says “formal tone” but USER.md says “casual,” you get confused behavior. Keep all files aligned.

Mistake 4: Outdated HEARTBEAT.md

Scheduled tasks that no longer exist create noise and wasted cycles. Review monthly.

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Configuration Checklist

Before launching any OpenClaw agent, verify:

• [ ] SOUL.md is specific and actionable

• [ ] AGENTS.md defines clear team roles (if multi-agent)

• [ ] IDENTITY.md matches your public presence

• [ ] MEMORY.md has current project context

• [ ] HEARTBEAT.md tasks are relevant and up-to-date

• [ ] USER.md has correct user preferences

• [ ] All files are consistent with each other

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Pro Tips

1. Start simple — Don’t create all files at once. Start with SOUL.md and IDENTITY.md, add others as needed.

2. Review monthly — Your context changes. So should your configuration files.

3. Version control — Keep backups of working configurations. Mistakes happen.

4. Test after changes — A small SOUL.md edit can change everything. Verify behavior after each update.

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Conclusion

OpenClaw’s MD files aren’t just configuration—they’re the difference between a generic chatbot and a tailored AI that actually understands your work.

The agents who get results are the ones who treat these files as living documents, not static settings.

Start with your SOUL.md. Make it specific. Everything else builds from there.

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Related Articles:

• [OpenClaw Heartbeat: Automated Background Monitoring](https://yyyl.me)

• [How to Set Up Your First AI Agent in 2026](https://yyyl.me)

Tags: OpenClaw, AI Configuration, Productivity, Automation, AI Agents

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