A specialized skill for designing, spawning, and managing autonomous OpenClaw subagents and multi-agent orchestration patterns.
Install & Download
1. ClawHub CLI
The fastest way to install a skill directly from the registry.
npx clawhub@latest install openclaw-subagents
2. Manual Installation
Copy the skill folder to one of these locations
~/.openclaw/skills/ <project>/skills/ Priority: Workspace > Local > Bundled
3. Prompt Installation
Copy this prompt to OpenClaw to install it automatically.
Help me install openclaw-subagents using Clawhub. If Clawhub is not installed, install it first (npm i -g clawhub).
Prefer to download?
Get the raw skill files in a ZIP archive.
What is OpenClaw Subagents Configuration?
This skill empowers developers to architect sophisticated multi-agent systems using OpenClaw. It provides the framework for spawning background agent runs that operate in isolated sessions, allowing a main agent to delegate tasks to specialized sub-workers. By mastering this skill, you can transition from simple single-agent interactions to complex, hierarchical squads that report results asynchronously.
The skill covers the end-to-end lifecycle of subagents, including configuration via openclaw.json, defining agent identities through SOUL and AGENTS files, and implementing resilient heartbeat mechanisms. Whether you are building a simple research assistant or a multi-layered orchestrator, these Openclaw Skills ensure your agents are properly scoped, throttled, and equipped with the right tool access levels.
OpenClaw Subagents Configuration Use Cases
- Spawning background worker agents to perform long-running research tasks without blocking the main session.
- Building orchestrator patterns where a primary agent manages multiple specialized sub-agents.
- Creating multi-agent squads that share a task database and operate on staggered cron schedules.
- Implementing autonomous task execution with automated reporting and result announcement.
How OpenClaw Subagents Configuration Works
- Define the multi-agent pattern and required spawning depth in the global configuration.
- Configure agent-specific workspaces and identity files to establish roles and operational procedures.
- Establish cron heartbeats to ensure agents wake up periodically to check for tasks or mentions.
- Use the sessions_spawn tool or slash commands to trigger background subagent runs.
- Monitor active runs and steer agent behavior through the gateway daemon and integrated tracking tools.
OpenClaw Subagents Configuration Setup
To begin using these Openclaw Skills, configure the subagents block in ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json:
{
"agents": {
"defaults": {
"subagents": {
"model": "anthropic/claude-haiku-4-5",
"maxSpawnDepth": 1,
"maxChildrenPerAgent": 5
}
}
}
}
Initialize agent identity files in the workspace and add a staggered heartbeat via the CLI:
openclaw cron add \
--name "agent-heartbeat" \
--cron "0,15,30,45 * * * *" \
--message "Check WORKING.md and Mission Control."
OpenClaw Subagents Configuration Data Schema & Taxonomy
OpenClaw organizes subagent data within isolated workspace directories located at ~/.openclaw/workspace-<agentId>/. The following file structure is utilized:
| File | Location | Description |
|---|---|---|
SOUL.md |
Root | Defines the personality and voice of the specific agent. |
AGENTS.md |
Root | Contains operational procedures and tool access instructions. |
HEARTBEAT.md |
Root | A checklist processed during every scheduled wake-up. |
memory/WORKING.md |
/memory |
Tracks the current active task state and progress. |
memory/MEMORY.md |
/memory |
Stores long-term curated facts and historical context. |
OpenClaw Subagents Configuration Advanced Features
- Nested Orchestration: Support for up to 5 levels of subagent nesting for complex workflows.
- Mission Control Integration: Seamless @mention and task assignment across agent squads.
- Granular Tool Access: Automatic restriction of sensitive session tools based on spawn depth levels.
- Real-time Steering: Use slash commands to redirect or terminate subagents mid-execution.
- Staggered Heartbeats: Built-in support for resource-efficient cron scheduling to prevent resource spikes.
SKILL.md
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