build/your/agentsBuild agent
Documentation · templates

Seven
starter
templates.

Plain markdown you can save, edit, and version. Download one file or all seven, drop them into a folder, and point your agent at them. Same sources as the interactive overview. For a one-page map of roles and read order, open README.md (also under /templates/).

Build your agent Back to the spec Jump to files

Tip: if Download is blocked, use Open raw then “Save as…” — or Copy to paste straight into your editor.

  • 7starter files
  • 1folder to boot
  • 0vendor lock-in
Templates

Pick a file.
Own the markdown.

SOUL.md

Who the agent is.

Identity, voice, values, hard limits.

Download Open raw

IDENTITY.md

Where the agent lives.

Metadata, routing, model config, multi-agent settings.

Download Open raw

AGENTS.md

How the agent operates.

Workflows, decision rules, escalation paths, communication patterns.

Download Open raw

USER.md

Who the agent serves.

You. Preferences, projects, contacts, flagged priorities.

Download Open raw

MEMORY.md

What the agent has learned.

Evergreen long-term memory. One fact per line. Never deleted, only superseded.

Download Open raw

HEARTBEAT.md

How the agent acts on its own.

Scheduled tasks. Morning briefs. Weekly reviews. Conditional alerts.

Download Open raw

TOOLS.md

What the agent can reach for.

Every skill, MCP, and built-in capability — with usage rules.

Download Open raw
After download

Fill in the right order.

Use the cards above to grab each file, or the ZIP / curl block below for all seven at once. To generate filled files from a questionnaire, use Build instead of editing blanks by hand.

Build with questionnaire Reading map (README.md)
All seven · one folder

One zip or
a curl loop.

Grab every file in a single archive — or stream them with curl when you already know your origin.

Download all 7

build-your-agents.zip · 8 markdown files (the seven + README) · ~7 KB · regenerated on every pnpm build.

Or with curl

Replace YOUR_ORIGIN with your deployed site (e.g. https://example.com). 

# Download all seven into the current directory
BASE="YOUR_ORIGIN"
for n in SOUL IDENTITY AGENTS USER MEMORY HEARTBEAT TOOLS; do
  curl -fsSL "$BASE/templates/${n}.md" -o "${n}.md"
done
Back to overview Open SOUL.md raw
Ecosystem

OpenClaw, Cursor & MCPs.

Same seven markdown files — different hosts. Copy the folder, point your runtime at it, version in git.

  • OpenClaw→ workspace folder the gateway reads each session
  • Cursor→ rules / project docs from the same files
  • MCP→ TOOLS.md + AGENTS.md define what may be invoked

OpenClaw workspace

The folder your gateway loads each session

Point OpenClaw at a directory of markdown. These seven files are that directory — no proprietary schema. Add a memory/ subfolder for daily notes; the spec already describes the split.

Cursor rules & project docs

Same markdown, different host

In Cursor you often merge SOUL + AGENTS into .cursor/rules or AGENTS.md in the repo. TOOLS.md documents MCP servers; USER.md is optional context. You are not locked in — export or symlink the same files.

MCP & tool surface

Capabilities without losing the soul

TOOLS.md is the static map of what the model may call. AGENTS.md defines selection order and failure handling. HEARTBEAT.md covers unattended checks — never confuse “can call API” with “may act without you”.

  • TOOLS.md

    Every MCP, skill, built-in — parameters & errors

  • AGENTS.md

    Tool selection guide + escalation when tools fail

  • HEARTBEAT.md

    Rate limits, health checks, no silent destructive acts

  • MEMORY.md

    Confirmed facts before hitting external APIs again

  • SOUL.md

    Hard limits on what tools must never do

Export a Cursor rules bundle from Build after filling the questionnaire.

Changelog

Spec history.

Every edit to templates/*.md should get an entry under content/changelog/ in the same commit.

14 files
SOUL.md

SOUL.md — principles and failure mode

Added personality depth, core values, and explicit failure-mode behaviour.

SOUL.md

Initial SOUL.md published

First public starter template — voice, values, capabilities, and hard limits.

IDENTITY.md

Initial IDENTITY.md published

First public starter template — metadata, routing, and model configuration.

IDENTITY.md

IDENTITY.md — session settings

Added multi-agent and session settings blocks for routing metadata.

AGENTS.md

Initial AGENTS.md published

First public starter template — session checklist, workflows, and decision rules.

USER.md

Initial USER.md published

First public starter template — preferences, projects, and standing “do not do”.

USER.md

USER.md — standing preferences

Expanded contacts, recurring tasks, and flagged priorities sections.

MEMORY.md

MEMORY.md — promote and supersede

Documented memory hygiene — one fact per line, supersede instead of delete.

MEMORY.md

Initial MEMORY.md published

First public starter template — evergreen facts, hygiene, and supersede rules.

HEARTBEAT.md

HEARTBEAT.md — autonomy limits

Scheduled monitoring tasks with explicit “no destructive acts without confirmation”.

TOOLS.md

Initial TOOLS.md published

First public starter template — capabilities map and tool selection order.

Help

FAQ & support.

Personal learning project — not a service SLA. Open a GitHub Issue when something is wrong or unclear.

Where do I start?
Open Build (/configure), answer the questionnaire, and download all seven files. For blank templates only, use Templates (/docs) or the ZIP.
Daily notes vs MEMORY.md?
Use memory/[YYYY-MM-DD].md for scratchpad and session summaries. Promote only confirmed facts to MEMORY.md — one line per fact, supersede instead of delete.
Does HEARTBEAT run by itself?
No. HEARTBEAT.md is the checklist an external scheduler or product trigger should run. It does not install cron — you wire triggers yourself and keep “needs confirmation” tasks explicit.
ZIP or curl?
Both ship the same files from templates/. ZIP is one click on /docs; curl is better for scripts. Set NUXT_PUBLIC_SITE_URL so the curl BASE is your live origin.
Which file holds voice vs workflows?
SOUL.md — who the agent is and hard limits. AGENTS.md — session order, workflows, and decision rules. Use the placement wizard on the home page if unsure.
How do I propose a change to the spec?
Open a GitHub Issue (spec change template), edit templates/*.md, and add a matching entry under content/changelog/ in the same commit. See CONTRIBUTING.md in the repo.

Report & contribute

  • Site bug — broken page, layout, or build.
  • Question — how to use the seven files.
  • Spec change — edit templates/ plus a content/changelog/ entry in the same PR.
New issue Repository