# DevClaw — Tools Reference

Complete reference for all tools registered by DevClaw. See [`index.ts`](../index.ts) for registration.

## Worker Lifecycle

### `work_start`

Pick up a task from the issue queue. Handles level assignment, label transition, session creation/reuse, task dispatch, and audit logging — all in one call.

**Source:** [`lib/tools/work-start.ts`](../lib/tools/work-start.ts)

**Context:** Only works in project group chats.

**Parameters:**

| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| `issueId` | number | No | Issue ID. If omitted, picks next by priority. |
| `role` | `"developer"` \| `"tester"` \| `"architect"` | No | Worker role. Auto-detected from issue label if omitted. |
| `projectGroupId` | string | No | Project group ID. Auto-detected from group context. |
| `level` | string | No | Level (`junior`, `medior`, `senior`). Auto-detected if omitted. |

**What it does atomically:**

1. Resolves project from `projects.json`
2. Validates no active worker for this role
3. Fetches issue from tracker, verifies correct label state
4. Assigns level (LLM-chosen via `level` param → label detection → keyword heuristic fallback)
5. Resolves level to model ID via config or defaults
6. Looks up existing session for assigned level (session-per-level)
7. Transitions label (e.g. `To Do` → `Doing`)
8. Creates session via Gateway RPC if new (`sessions.patch`)
9. Dispatches task to worker session via CLI (`openclaw gateway call agent`)
10. Updates `projects.json` state (active, issueId, level, session key)
11. Writes audit log entries (work_start + model_selection)
12. Sends notification
13. Returns announcement text

**Level selection priority:**

1. `level` parameter (LLM-selected) — highest priority
2. Issue label (e.g. a label named "junior" or "senior")
3. Keyword heuristic from `model-selector.ts` — fallback

**Execution guards:**

- Rejects if role already has an active worker
- Respects `roleExecution` (sequential: rejects if other role is active)

**On failure:** Rolls back label transition. No orphaned state.

---

### `work_finish`

Complete a task with a result. Called by workers (DEVELOPER/TESTER/ARCHITECT sub-agent sessions) directly, or by the orchestrator.

**Source:** [`lib/tools/work-finish.ts`](../lib/tools/work-finish.ts)

**Parameters:**

| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| `role` | `"developer"` \| `"tester"` \| `"architect"` | Yes | Worker role |
| `result` | string | Yes | Completion result (see table below) |
| `projectGroupId` | string | Yes | Project group ID |
| `summary` | string | No | Brief summary for the announcement |
| `prUrl` | string | No | PR/MR URL (auto-detected if omitted) |

**Valid results by role:**

| Role | Result | Label transition | Side effects |
|---|---|---|---|
| developer | `"done"` | Doing → To Test | git pull, auto-detect PR URL |
| developer | `"review"` | Doing → In Review | auto-detect PR URL, heartbeat polls for merge |
| developer | `"blocked"` | Doing → Refining | Awaits human decision |
| tester | `"pass"` | Testing → Done | Issue closed |
| tester | `"fail"` | Testing → To Improve | Issue reopened |
| tester | `"refine"` | Testing → Refining | Awaits human decision |
| tester | `"blocked"` | Testing → Refining | Awaits human decision |
| architect | `"done"` | Designing → Planning | Design complete |
| architect | `"blocked"` | Designing → Refining | Awaits human decision |

**What it does atomically:**

1. Validates role:result combination
2. Resolves project and active worker
3. Executes completion via pipeline service (label transition + side effects)
4. Deactivates worker (sessions map preserved for reuse)
5. Sends notification
6. Ticks queue to fill free worker slots
7. Writes audit log

**Scheduling:** After completion, `work_finish` ticks the queue. The scheduler sees the new label (`To Test` or `To Improve`) and dispatches the next worker if a slot is free.

---

## Task Management

### `task_create`

Create a new issue in the project's issue tracker.

**Source:** [`lib/tools/task-create.ts`](../lib/tools/task-create.ts)

**Parameters:**

| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| `projectGroupId` | string | Yes | Project group ID |
| `title` | string | Yes | Issue title |
| `description` | string | No | Full issue body (markdown) |
| `label` | StateLabel | No | State label. Defaults to `"Planning"`. |
| `assignees` | string[] | No | GitHub/GitLab usernames to assign |
| `pickup` | boolean | No | If true, immediately pick up for DEVELOPER after creation |

**Use cases:**

- Orchestrator creates tasks from chat messages
- Workers file follow-up bugs discovered during development
- Breaking down epics into smaller tasks

**Default behavior:** Creates issues in `"Planning"` state. Only use `"To Do"` when the user explicitly requests immediate work.

---

### `task_update`

Change an issue's state label manually without going through the full pickup/complete flow.

**Source:** [`lib/tools/task-update.ts`](../lib/tools/task-update.ts)

**Parameters:**

| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| `projectGroupId` | string | Yes | Project group ID |
| `issueId` | number | Yes | Issue ID to update |
| `state` | StateLabel | Yes | New state label |
| `reason` | string | No | Audit log reason for the change |

**Valid states:** `Planning`, `To Do`, `Doing`, `To Test`, `Testing`, `Done`, `To Improve`, `Refining`, `In Review`, `To Design`, `Designing`

**Use cases:**

- Manual state adjustments (e.g. `Planning → To Do` after approval)
- Failed auto-transitions that need correction
- Bulk state changes by orchestrator

---

### `task_comment`

Add a comment to an issue for feedback, notes, or discussion.

**Source:** [`lib/tools/task-comment.ts`](../lib/tools/task-comment.ts)

**Parameters:**

| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| `projectGroupId` | string | Yes | Project group ID |
| `issueId` | number | Yes | Issue ID to comment on |
| `body` | string | Yes | Comment body (markdown) |
| `authorRole` | `"developer"` \| `"tester"` \| `"orchestrator"` | No | Attribution role prefix |

**Use cases:**

- TESTER adds review feedback before pass/fail decision
- DEVELOPER posts implementation notes or progress updates
- Orchestrator adds summary comments

When `authorRole` is provided, the comment is prefixed with a role emoji and attribution label.

---

## Operations

### `status`

Lightweight queue + worker state dashboard.

**Source:** [`lib/tools/status.ts`](../lib/tools/status.ts)

**Context:** Auto-filters to project in group chats. Shows all projects in DMs.

**Parameters:**

| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| `projectGroupId` | string | No | Filter to specific project. Omit for all. |

**Returns per project:**

- Worker state per role: active/idle, current issue, level, start time
- Queue counts: To Do, To Test, To Improve
- Role execution mode

---

### `health`

Worker health scan with optional auto-fix.

**Source:** [`lib/tools/health.ts`](../lib/tools/health.ts)

**Context:** Auto-filters to project in group chats.

**Parameters:**

| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| `projectGroupId` | string | No | Filter to specific project. Omit for all. |
| `fix` | boolean | No | Apply fixes for detected issues. Default: `false` (read-only). |
| `activeSessions` | string[] | No | Active session IDs for zombie detection. |

**Health checks:**

| Issue | Severity | Detection | Auto-fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| Active worker with no session key | Critical | `active=true` but no session in map | Deactivate worker |
| Active worker whose session is dead | Critical | Session key not in active sessions list | Deactivate worker, revert label |
| Worker active >2 hours | Warning | `startTime` older than 2h | Deactivate worker, revert label to queue |
| Inactive worker with lingering issue ID | Warning | `active=false` but `issueId` still set | Clear issueId |

---

### `work_heartbeat`

Manual trigger for heartbeat: health fix + review polling + queue dispatch. Same logic as the background heartbeat service, but invoked on demand.

**Source:** [`lib/tools/work-heartbeat.ts`](../lib/tools/work-heartbeat.ts)

**Parameters:**

| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| `projectGroupId` | string | No | Target single project. Omit for all. |
| `dryRun` | boolean | No | Report only, don't dispatch. Default: `false`. |
| `maxPickups` | number | No | Max worker dispatches per tick. |
| `activeSessions` | string[] | No | Active session IDs for zombie detection. |

**Three-pass sweep:**

1. **Health pass** — Runs `checkWorkerHealth` per project per role. Auto-fixes zombies, stale workers, orphaned state.
2. **Review pass** — Polls PR status for issues in "In Review" state. Auto-merges and transitions to "To Test" when PR is approved. If merge fails (conflicts), transitions to "To Improve" for developer to fix.
3. **Tick pass** — Calls `projectTick` per project. Fills free worker slots by priority (To Improve > To Test > To Do).

**Execution guards:**

- `projectExecution: "sequential"` — only one project active at a time
- `roleExecution: "sequential"` — only one role active at a time per project

---

## Setup

### `project_register`

One-time project setup. Creates state labels, scaffolds prompt files, adds project to state.

**Source:** [`lib/tools/project-register.ts`](../lib/tools/project-register.ts)

**Context:** Only works in the Telegram/WhatsApp group being registered.

**Parameters:**

| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| `projectGroupId` | string | No | Auto-detected from current group if omitted |
| `name` | string | Yes | Short project name (e.g. `my-webapp`) |
| `repo` | string | Yes | Path to git repo (e.g. `~/git/my-project`) |
| `groupName` | string | No | Display name. Defaults to `Project: {name}`. |
| `baseBranch` | string | Yes | Base branch for development |
| `deployBranch` | string | No | Deploy branch. Defaults to baseBranch. |
| `deployUrl` | string | No | Deployment URL |
| `roleExecution` | `"parallel"` \| `"sequential"` | No | DEVELOPER/TESTER parallelism. Default: `"parallel"`. |

**What it does atomically:**

1. Validates project not already registered
2. Resolves repo path, auto-detects GitHub/GitLab from git remote
3. Verifies provider health (CLI installed and authenticated)
4. Creates all 11 state labels (idempotent — safe to run again)
5. Adds project entry to `projects.json` with empty worker state for all registered roles
6. Scaffolds prompt files: `devclaw/projects/<project>/prompts/<role>.md` for each role
7. Writes audit log

---

### `setup`

Agent + workspace initialization.

**Source:** [`lib/tools/setup.ts`](../lib/tools/setup.ts)

**Parameters:**

| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| `newAgentName` | string | No | Create a new agent. Omit to configure current workspace. |
| `channelBinding` | `"telegram"` \| `"whatsapp"` | No | Channel to bind (with `newAgentName` only) |
| `migrateFrom` | string | No | Agent ID to migrate channel binding from |
| `models` | object | No | Model overrides per role and level (see [Configuration](CONFIGURATION.md#role-configuration)) |
| `projectExecution` | `"parallel"` \| `"sequential"` | No | Project execution mode |

**What it does:**

1. Creates a new agent or configures existing workspace
2. Optionally binds messaging channel (Telegram/WhatsApp)
3. Optionally migrates channel binding from another agent
4. Writes workspace files: AGENTS.md, HEARTBEAT.md, `devclaw/projects.json`, `devclaw/workflow.yaml`
5. Scaffolds default prompt files for all roles

---

### `onboard`

Conversational onboarding guide. Returns step-by-step instructions for the agent to walk the user through setup.

**Source:** [`lib/tools/onboard.ts`](../lib/tools/onboard.ts)

**Note:** Call this before `setup` to get step-by-step guidance.

**Parameters:**

| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| `mode` | `"first-run"` \| `"reconfigure"` | No | Auto-detected from current state |

---

### `design_task`

Spawn an architect for a design investigation. Creates a "To Design" issue and dispatches an architect worker.

**Source:** [`lib/tools/design-task.ts`](../lib/tools/design-task.ts)

**Parameters:**

| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| `projectGroupId` | string | Yes | Project group ID |
| `title` | string | Yes | Design task title |
| `description` | string | No | Design problem description |
| `level` | `"junior"` \| `"senior"` | No | Architect level. Default: `"junior"`. |

---

## Completion Rules Reference

The pipeline service (`lib/services/pipeline.ts`) derives completion rules from the workflow config:

```
developer:done    → Doing     → To Test      (git pull, detect PR)
developer:review  → Doing     → In Review    (detect PR, heartbeat polls for merge)
developer:blocked → Doing     → Refining     (awaits human decision)
tester:pass       → Testing   → Done         (close issue)
tester:fail       → Testing   → To Improve   (reopen issue)
tester:refine     → Testing   → Refining     (awaits human decision)
tester:blocked    → Testing   → Refining     (awaits human decision)
architect:done    → Designing → Planning     (design complete)
architect:blocked → Designing → Refining     (awaits human decision)
```

## Issue Priority Order

When the heartbeat or `work_heartbeat` fills free worker slots, issues are prioritized:

1. **To Improve** — Tester failures get fixed first (highest priority)
2. **To Test** — Completed developer work gets reviewed next
3. **To Do** — Fresh tasks are picked up last

This ensures the pipeline clears its backlog before starting new work.