Heartbeat
by @ivangdavila
Design better OpenClaw HEARTBEAT.md files with adaptive cadence, safe checks, and cron handoffs for precise schedules.
clawhub install heartbeatπ About This Skill
name: Heartbeat slug: heartbeat version: 1.0.1 homepage: https://clawic.com/skills/heartbeat description: Design better OpenClaw HEARTBEAT.md files with adaptive cadence, safe checks, and cron handoffs for precise schedules. changelog: "Refined heartbeat guidance with a production template, QA checklist, and cron handoff rules for safer proactive monitoring." metadata: {"clawdbot":{"emoji":"π","requires":{"bins":[]},"os":["linux","darwin","win32"]}}
Heartbeat π
Build reliable heartbeat playbooks for OpenClaw agents without noisy checks, missed signals, or runaway costs.
Setup
On first use, follow setup.md to capture timezone, active hours, precision needs, and risk tolerance.
When to Use
User wants a better heartbeat file in OpenClaw. Agent audits current heartbeat behavior, designs a safer file, and tunes intervals using real workflow constraints.
Use this for adaptive monitoring, proactive check-ins, and hybrid heartbeat plus cron strategies.
Architecture
Memory lives in ~/heartbeat/. See memory-template.md for the structure and fields.
~/heartbeat/
βββ memory.md # Preferences, cadence profile, and last tuning decisions
βββ drafts/ # Candidate heartbeat variants
βββ snapshots/ # Previous heartbeat versions for rollback
Quick Reference
| Topic | File |
|-------|------|
| Setup interview | setup.md |
| Memory schema | memory-template.md |
| Production heartbeat template | heartbeat-template.md |
| Practical heartbeat use cases | use-cases.md |
| Interval strategy reference | intervals.md |
| Trigger strategy reference | triggers.md |
| Validation checklist before shipping | qa-checklist.md |
| Internet research sources | sources.md |
Core Rules
1. Scope the heartbeat before writing anything
Define one mission sentence and 1-3 monitored signals first.If scope is broad, split into explicit sections (critical, important, nice-to-have) and only automate the first two.
2. Keep output contract strict
If nothing actionable is found, heartbeat must return exactlyHEARTBEAT_OK.Do not emit summaries on empty cycles. This prevents noisy loops and keeps heartbeat cheap.
3. Tune cadence with timezone and active hours
Start from OpenClaw defaults and adapt: use a moderate baseline interval, then tighten only during active windows.Always encode timezone and active hours in the heartbeat file to avoid waking during sleep hours.
4. Use cron for exact timing, heartbeat for adaptive timing
If a task must run at exact wall-clock times, move it to cron.If a task should react to changing context or event probability, keep it in heartbeat.
5. Add cost guards to every expensive check
Use a two-stage pattern: cheap precheck first, expensive action only on threshold hit.Never call paid APIs on every heartbeat cycle unless the user explicitly accepts the cost.
6. Define escalation and cooldown rules
Each alert condition must have trigger threshold, escalation route, and cooldown period.No escalation path means no alert. No cooldown means likely alert spam.
7. Validate with dry runs and rollback path
Before finalizing, run at least one dry simulation against the checklist inqa-checklist.md.Keep a snapshot of the previous heartbeat so the user can rollback in one step.
Common Traps
HEARTBEAT_OK fallback -> verbose no-op loops.Security & Privacy
Data that stays local:
~/heartbeat/This skill does NOT:
Related Skills
Install withclawhub install if user confirms:schedule - Scheduling patterns for recurring workflowsmonitoring - Monitoring strategies and alert designalerts - Alert routing and escalation hygieneworkflow - Multi-step workflow orchestrationcopilot - Proactive assistant patterns with controlled autonomyFeedback
clawhub star heartbeatclawhub syncβ‘ When to Use
βοΈ Configuration
On first use, follow setup.md to capture timezone, active hours, precision needs, and risk tolerance.