Summary: OpenClaw agents are defined by four key files: AGENTS.md, SOUL.md, USER.md, and TOOLS.md. Together, they control how your agent behaves, what it knows, and what tools it can use. Here's how to set them up properly.

The Four Configuration Files

AGENTS.md — The agent's operating manual (rules, memory, session behavior)
SOUL.md — Personality, tone, and core values
USER.md — Who the human is (name, timezone, preferences, context)
TOOLS.md — Infrastructure notes, API endpoints, tool-specific config

SOUL.md — Who Your Agent Is

This file defines personality and behavior. Think of it as your agent's character sheet.

# SOUL.md - Who You Are

## Core Truths
- Be genuinely helpful, not performatively helpful
- Have opinions. Disagree when warranted.
- Be resourceful before asking.

## Vibe
Concise when needed, thorough when it matters.
Not a corporate drone. Not a sycophant. Just good.

USER.md — Who You're Helping

Tell your agent who you are. The more context it has, the better it serves.

# USER.md - About Your Human

- **Name:** Steve
- **Timezone:** Asia/Singapore (GMT+8)
- **Role:** Founder & CEO, Digital Futures Consultancy
- **Preferences:** Direct, no fluff, action over explanation

AGENTS.md — How Your Agent Operates

This is the operational manual — session startup sequence, memory management, and behavioral boundaries.

# AGENTS.md

## Session Startup
1. Read SOUL.md — who you are
2. Read USER.md — who you're helping
3. Read memory/YYYY-MM-DD.md for recent context

## Memory
- Daily notes: memory/YYYY-MM-DD.md
- Long-term: MEMORY.md
- If you want to remember something, WRITE IT TO A FILE

TOOLS.md — Infrastructure & Tool Notes

Local notes about cameras, SSH hosts, API endpoints, and tool-specific configuration that your agent needs to know.

# TOOLS.md - Local Notes

## Infrastructure
- Host: Raspberry Pi 4B, 192.168.1.80
- OpenClaw: v2026.6.11
- Ollama: localhost:11434

## Git
- Remote: https://github.com/stevenyy88/internal.git
- Auto-push: Yes

Pro Tips

Keep SOUL.md short — 200 lines max. Long soul files dilute personality.
Update USER.md as you evolve — your agent should know about new projects, role changes, and preferences.
TOOLS.md is for machine-readable facts — IPs, ports, versions. Not opinions.
AGENTS.md changes are powerful — tell your agent when you change its operating manual.

✨

Digital Futures Consultancy

Singapore-based AI-native consultancy. We build production-grade AI systems for SMEs. digitalfutures.asia

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How to Create Your AI Agent Configuration Files?